Ames vs Mason City
Ames, Iowa versus Mason City, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Mason City edges out Ames on overall objective livability (53 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ames | Mason City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $43k |
| Home Value | $248k | $126k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $841 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.51% | 1.61% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.81% | 11.61% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 3.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5 in | 37.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.3 in | 44.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 224 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 43.9 | 73.1 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 23 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.7 | 79.9 |
| Violent Crime | 717/100k | 1210/100k |
| Property Crime | 1289/100k | 2128/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 66,265 | 27,271 |
| Median Age | 23.0 | 43.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.35 | 0.17 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.16 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+18 | Even |
| White (%) | 78.3% | 87.4% |
| Black (%) | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 6.6% |
| Asian (%) | 10.1% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 13.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 128 mi | 120 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 71.3% | 86.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.73 | 18.70 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ames or Mason City more affordable?
- Mason City has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Ames's $46k and Mason City's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Ames versus $841 in Mason City.
- Is Ames or Mason City safer?
- Ames has the lower violent crime rate. Ames reports 717/100k and Mason City reports 1210/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ames or Mason City?
- The median home value is $248k in Ames and $126k in Mason City, so homes are more affordable in Mason City.