Residential comparison · 13 facts
Ames, IA vs Fort Dodge, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Ames needs about $80,000 in Fort Dodge to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Fort Dodge, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,000 in Ames.
A few differences
- Ames is higher on median household income ($60,991 vs $60,649).
- Fort Dodge is lower on cost of living index (73 vs 84).
- Fort Dodge is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($806/mo vs $1,030/mo).
Ames vs Fort Dodge · facet by facet
| Facet | Ames, IA | Fort Dodge, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $277,400 | $144,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,030/mo | $806/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 84 | 73 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $60,991 | $60,649 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Ames, IA · Fort Dodge, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Ames cheaper than Fort Dodge?
- Fort Dodge has the lower day-to-day cost index (73 vs 84 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Fort Dodge equals $85,000 in Ames?
- A household earning $85,000 in Ames needs about $80,000 in Fort Dodge to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Fort Dodge lifestyle costs about $90,000 in Ames.