Ames vs Roland
Ames, Iowa versus Roland, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Roland edges out Ames on overall objective livability (49 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ames | Roland |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $248k | $160k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $733 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $11k | $553 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.51% | 1.37% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.81% | 11.01% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 0.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5 in | 37.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.3 in | 30.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 43.9 | 65.7 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.7 | 40.2 |
| Violent Crime | 717/100k | 616/100k |
| Property Crime | 1289/100k | 1187/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 66,265 | 1,472 |
| Median Age | 23.0 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.35 | 0.06 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.16 | 1.06 |
| Political Leaning | D+18 | D+18 |
| White (%) | 78.3% | 96.9% |
| Black (%) | 3.2% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 0.7% |
| Asian (%) | 10.1% | 0.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 2.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 6.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 128 mi | 137 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 71.3% | 93.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.73 | 81.52 |
| 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 Roland more affordable?
- Roland has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Ames's $46k and Roland's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Ames versus $733 in Roland.
- Is Ames or Roland safer?
- Roland has the lower violent crime rate. Ames reports 717/100k and Roland reports 616/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ames or Roland?
- The median home value is $248k in Ames and $160k in Roland, so homes are more affordable in Roland.