City comparison
Ames, IA is about 225 miles (375 km) from Peoria, IL in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 275 miles, or about 4 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Ames, IA to Peoria, IL takes about 27 min, covering roughly 225 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Peoria has a population of 113,054, vs 66,265 in Ames — about 1.7× larger by population. By land area, Peoria covers about 48 sq mi vs 28 sq mi for Ames.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Ames | Peoria | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,011/mo | $917/mo | 10.3% higher in Ames |
| Median home value | $247,500 | $146,700 | 68.7% higher in Ames |
| Median household income | $57,428 | $58,068 | 1.1% higher in Peoria |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 93.9 | ≈ equal (Ames slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 83.8 | 90.6 | 8.1% higher in Peoria |
| Transportation index | 93.3 | 99.3 | 6.5% higher in Peoria |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 99.5 | 6.5% higher in Peoria |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Ames, you'd need $100,217 in Peoria to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Ames and Peoria have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 9% higher in Ames than in Peoria. If you earn $80,000 in Ames, you'd need about $80,174 in Peoria to keep the same standard of living.