| ZIP Codes: | 18 ZIP Codes (15 Standard, 0 PO Box, 3 Unique) [See All] |
| Area Codes: | 515 / 641 |
| Timezone: | Central (GMT -06:00) |
| Local Time: | 2:11:55 PM |
| Population: | 103,263 [See All] |
| FIPS: | 19169 |
| CBSA: | Ames, IA |
| Land Area: | 727 sq mi |
| Water Area: | 1 sq mi |
| Coordinates: | 42.0173, -93.5313 |
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103,263 residents live across 18 ZIPs covering 727 sq mi, served by 14 distinct USPS-recognized cities.
Population moved from 91,926 to 99,052 from 2014 to 2024 — a +7.8% change. 7 ZIPs gained residents, 9 lost.
The county's wealthiest ZIP 50105 (Gilbert, $130,083 median) and poorest ZIP 50014 (Ames, $60,731) are 4.8 miles apart — a 2.1× income gap across local geography.
Median home values vary 1.8× across this county — from $184,500 in 50056 (Colo) to $336,800 in 50014 (Ames).
Density varies 2906× across the county — from 17 people/sq mi in 50056 (Colo) to 49,818 in 50012 (Ames).
Educational attainment ranges from 23.4% bachelor's+ in 50056 (Colo) to 68.1% in 50014 (Ames) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.
Within Iowa, this is the #7 most populous of 99 counties and ranks #8 for median household income with the #5 fastest decade growth .
Hosts 3 single-entity Unique ZIPs: 50011Iowa State University ; 50013Iowa State University ; and 50012Iowa State University .
Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $73,301 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.
54.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (30,087 of 55,034 reporting). The most-educated ZIPs cluster around Ames.
15 Standard delivery, 0 PO Box only, 3 single-entity Unique ZIPs serve this county.
4 ZIPs in this county where more than 60% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree — typically college campuses, research enclaves, or tech corridors.
3 ZIP codes in this county serve a single facility — typically theme parks, universities, large corporations, airports, or government complexes.
| ZIP | City | Type | Population | Median Income | Area (sq mi) | 10-yr Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50010 | Ames | Standard | 33,799 | $65,398 | 63.7 | 10.8% |
| 50014 | Ames | Standard | 32,958 | $60,731 | 56.1 | 16.1% |
| 50201 | Nevada | Standard | 8,320 | $81,027 | 115.6 | -0.7% |
| 50124 | Huxley | Standard | 4,859 | $114,904 | 22.4 | 31.3% |
| 50248 | Story City | Standard | 4,216 | $100,864 | 82.2 | -0.9% |
| 50013 | Ames | Unique | 4,211 | — | 0.1 | — |
| 50161 | Maxwell | Standard | 2,296 | $98,519 | 77.2 | 16.5% |
| 50012 | Ames | Unique | 1,913 | — | 0.0 | -51.2% |
| 50236 | Roland | Standard | 1,761 | $85,046 | 31.8 | -1.1% |
| 50244 | Slater | Standard | 1,729 | $120,313 | 24.6 | -10.7% |
| 50046 | Cambridge | Standard | 1,554 | $81,500 | 45.4 | 17.9% |
| 50105 | Gilbert | Standard | 1,487 | $130,083 | 8.1 | -0.9% |
| 50055 | Collins | Standard | 1,102 | $85,278 | 51.0 | 22.6% |
| 50056 | Colo | Standard | 1,003 | $73,333 | 58.5 | -25.6% |
| 50278 | Zearing | Standard | 891 | $74,306 | 44.0 | -5.4% |
| 50134 | Kelley | Standard | 770 | $111,250 | 19.3 | 26.4% |
| 50154 | Mc Callsburg | Standard | 394 | $69,219 | 26.6 | -16.9% |
| 50011 | Ames | Unique | — | — | 0.8 | — |