ZIP Code · IA

ZIP 50010

Part of Ames, IA

Pop. 33,799·Story County·28th most expensive ZIP in Iowa

Median rent (all units)

$1,251/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.3%

Month-over-Month

-0.6%

vs US Median

-$681

Reported rents

Falling (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 50010 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 50010 · $1,251

More affordable than 89% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$970

1 BR

$1,020

2 BR

$1,150

3 BR

$1,600

4 BR+

$1,930

Research median

$1,150/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

September. Asking rents in ZIP 50010 usually run 1.2% below trend in September and 1.6% above it in January, about $35 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 50010 is 0.6% below its high of $1,259 in August 2026, at $1,251 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Iowa

Rent in ZIP 50010 changed +4.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 45 Iowa ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.3%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($65,398) is $1,635 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,600); a 4-bedroom is $1,930.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 50010. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$15,012/yr

At $1,251/mo median

Location

CityAmes

StateIA

CountyStory County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.3% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.3% YoY, -0.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 50010 (Ames, IA) is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 62.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

33,799

Median income

$65,398

Median age

28.8

Renters

46.8%

Age distribution

14.3%

43.7%

17.2%

15.9%

Under 1814.3%

18–3443.7%

35–5417.2%

55–648.8%

65+15.9%

Gender

50.2%

49.8%

Male50.2%

Female49.8%

Race & ethnicity

81.3%

White81.3%

Black3.6%

Hispanic5.6%

Asian7.2%

Other2.3%

Education (25+)

12.9%

22.3%

62.7%

No HS diploma2.2%

HS diploma12.9%

Some college22.3%

Bachelor's+62.7%

Housing tenure

53.2%

46.8%

Owner53.2%

Renter46.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 50010 in Ames, IA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$994 → $1,251

up 25.9%

Income

$60,432 → $65,398

up 8.2%

Population

34,036 → 33,799

down 0.7%

Renter share

46.5% → 46.8%

+0.3 pts

Bachelor's+

57.5% → 62.7%

+5.2 pts

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 50010 in Ames, IA has climbed by $257 per month, settling near $1,251 after starting the period at $994. Census figures show median household income at $65,398 today, compared with $60,432 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 17.7 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 57.5% to 62.7%. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 50010

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 50010

About renting in ZIP 50010

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 50010 covers Ames, IA. The median rent here is $1,251/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,020/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,150/mo.

At 23% of local median household income ($65,398/yr), ZIP 50010 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.3% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 50010?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $50,000/year (about $24/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,251/mo in ZIP 50010. The local median household income is $65,398/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 50010?

Rent in ZIP 50010 has risen 4.3% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.6% below its high of $1,259 in August 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 50010?

Asking rents in ZIP 50010 are usually lowest in September, about 1.2% below their yearly trend, and highest in January, about 1.6% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $35 a month. This pattern comes from 6 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 50010 compare to other ZIPs in Iowa?

ZIP 50010 is in the middle among Iowa ZIP codes for rent, ranking #28 of 54 at $1,251/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 50010 changed +4.3%, against a typical +4.3% across the 45 Iowa ZIP codes Zillow tracks.