Can An Electrician Afford Rent in Ames, IA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21% of gross income.
Ames rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).
About rent and an electrician salary
Electrician pay is competitive with many four-year-degree occupations and covers comfortable rent across most US metros. Union journeymen in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean once overtime and benefits are counted, which expands affordability further. At the national-average electrician salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,748 a month in rent. The per-city pages show where rent stays in range and where it begins to pinch.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Iowa cities have lower median rent than Ames, which improves the affordability math on an electrician salary:
Compare with full rent data for Ames
View full rent data for Ames, IA →Frequently asked questions
Can an electrician afford rent in Ames, IA?
Median rent in Ames is $1,125 a month. A typical electrician in Iowa earns about $64,308 a year, which makes that rent 21% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can an electrician afford in Ames?
Using the 30% rule, an electrician salary in Iowa (~$64,308/yr) supports up to $1,608 a month in rent. Ames's current median rent is $1,125/mo, which leaves a $483/mo buffer.
How many hours does an electrician work to cover rent in Ames?
At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, an electrician in Iowa works roughly 36.4 hours a month to cover Ames's median rent of $1,125.
Where is rent cheaper than Ames for an electrician?
Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Sioux City ($1,123/mo), Des Moines ($1,123/mo), Dubuque ($1,123/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an electrician salary.