HEAD TO HEAD
Ames vs Des Moines
Des Moines leads Ames on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Ames, IA
wins 2 of 5 factors
Des Moines, IA
wins 3 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Ames | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 88 ◆ | 87 |
| Affordable to rent | 93 ◆ | 84 |
| Climate comfort | 39 | 43 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 43 | 45 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 18 | 80 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Ames | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $280K | $296K |
| Typical rent | $1,024/mo | $1,293/mo |
| Average temperature | 9.6°C | 10.2°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 4.03 kWh/m²/day | 4.09 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #336 | #84 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.