HousingPermits

Metro area in Iowa · part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines-Ames, IA combined area

Ames, IA

The Ames metro area authorized 392 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 85%, from 1,057 at the 2004–2006 high to 157 in 2009, the deepest drop among the 34 metro areas based in the West North Central states. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 22% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 8 metro areas based in Iowa.

03006009001,2002004: 856 units (427 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 398 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,057 units (487 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 561 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 574 units (361 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 202 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 469 units (349 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 412 units (175 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 237 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 157 units (153 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 199 units (125 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 74 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 499 units (135 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 356 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 484 units (181 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 291 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 574 units (278 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 286 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 583 units (221 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 350 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 616 units (253 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 354 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 777 units (276 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 475 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,014 units (317 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 681 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 687 units (332 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 549 units (258 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 272 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 270 units (251 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 394 units (279 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 110 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 328 units (236 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 262 units (167 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 273 units (205 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 392 units (199 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 157 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 1,05704008001,2002004: 856 units (427 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 398 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,057 units (487 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 561 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 574 units (361 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 202 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 469 units (349 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 412 units (175 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 237 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 157 units (153 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 199 units (125 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 74 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 499 units (135 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 356 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 484 units (181 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 291 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 574 units (278 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 286 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 583 units (221 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 350 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 616 units (253 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 354 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 777 units (276 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 475 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,014 units (317 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 681 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 687 units (332 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 549 units (258 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 272 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 270 units (251 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 394 units (279 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 110 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 328 units (236 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 262 units (167 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 273 units (205 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 392 units (199 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 157 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 1,057

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 60% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 8 metro areas based in Iowa.

Boom, bust and since

Ames authorized the most units in 2005 (1,057); 2025 reached 37% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Pittsfield, Sierra Vista, Glens Falls. Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2017. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 44%.

Relative to population

With 128,090 residents in July 2025, Ames authorized 2.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Roanoke (2.7) and Albany, NY (2.6).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 20 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Ames, with 614 units or 37% of the total, followed by Boone with 335. Among the three largest, Boone put 44% of its units in five-plus buildings, Boone County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Ames37% (614 units)
  • Boone20% (335 units)
  • Boone County (unincorporated)9.6% (158 units)
  • Huxley8.3% (137 units)
  • Story County (unincorporated)7.9% (130 units)
  • Gilbert4.7% (77 units)
  • Nevada3.3% (55 units)
  • Slater2.2% (37 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Sandusky (22% in five-plus buildings). Apartment building has lost ground since 2004–2006, when the five-plus share was 47%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 12% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2017 (681), single-family houses in 2005 (487).

2021–202565.9%66%12.5%12%21.6%22%2004–200651.3%51%2.1%46.7%47%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202565.9%66%12.5%21.6%22%2004–200651.3%51%2.1%46.7%47%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Des Moines-West Des Moines-Ames region

The Census Bureau groups Ames with one neighboring metro area in the Des Moines-West Des Moines-Ames, IA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 6,211 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Ames accounted for 5.3%. The other, with its yearly average: Des Moines (5,881).

Where in the metro

Story County accounted for 66% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Boone County for 34%.

  • Story County66% (185 in 2025)
  • Boone County34% (207 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Elizabethtown, KY4917.345%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA1,0867.230%
Pittsfield, MA1491.120%
Ames, IA3922.622%
Lawton, OK2011.16.7%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Ames beside Pittsfield

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Iowa. Counting rules.