City comparison
Ames, IA is about 30 miles (50 km) from West Des Moines, IA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 42 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 West Des Moines, IA takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 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.
West Des Moines has a population of 68,744, vs 66,265 in Ames — about the same size. By land area, West Des Moines covers about 47 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 | West Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,011/mo | $1,153/mo | 14.0% higher in West Des Moines |
| Median home value | $247,500 | $266,700 | 7.8% higher in West Des Moines |
| Median household income | $57,428 | $82,345 | 43.4% higher in West Des Moines |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 83.8 | 85.2 | 1.7% higher in West Des Moines |
| Transportation index | 93.3 | 93.3 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 93.5 | ≈ equal |
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 $107,927 in West Des Moines to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Ames, IA is about 7.3% cheaper overall than West Des Moines, IA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 22% higher in West Des Moines than in Ames. If you earn $80,000 in Ames, you'd need about $86,341 in West Des Moines to keep the same standard of living.