NAICS 23

Construction in Ames, IA

Metro Market Score 25.8 (Favorable), ranked #20 of 342 metros. 299 establishments, 2,568 jobs.

Metro Market Score 25.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market

Ames ranks in the top 10% for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 25.8, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

31.9

LQ: 0.87

Rank #109 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

45.6

$71,405 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 97.1

Employment growth index

Rank #11 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

27.7

YoY wage change index

299 Construction Firms in Ames

299

Establishments

+41.0% YoY

2,568

Total Employment

+15.3% YoY

$71,405

Average Annual Wage

+1.9% YoY

0.87

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Iowa

#1 of 8

construction metros in state

Iowa state rank

#7 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-24.0

better than median (49.8)

Ames vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #7/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Ames	IA Statewide
Overall Score	25.8 Favorable	34.3 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#20 of 342 metros	#7 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Ames

Healthcare and Social Assistance 8.1 Finance and Insurance 24.0 Accommodation and Food Services 26.3 Administrative and Support Services 27.4 Retail Trade 28.5 Other Services 31.0 Information 39.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 43.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 46.9

Construction in Other Iowa Metros

Iowa City 29.9 #41/342 Waterloo-Cedar Falls 37.4 #81/342 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 48.8 #178/342 Cedar Rapids 49.8 #190/342 Dubuque 52.1 #215/342 Des Moines-West Des Moines 52.9 #225/342 Sioux City 63.4 #302/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Ames's 25.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Eagle Pass, TX 25.7 #19/342 Johnstown, PA 26.0 #21/342 Monroe, LA 26.3 #22/342 Florence, SC 26.4 #23/342 Jackson, MS 25.1 #18/342 Tuscaloosa, AL 26.6 #24/342 Warner Robins, GA 24.6 #17/342 Kankakee, IL 27.1 #25/342 Dothan, AL 27.3 #26/342 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 24.1 #16/342

Construction in States Bordering Iowa

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Wisconsin 25.1 #1/51 Nebraska 32.5 #5/51 South Dakota 34.7 #9/51 Minnesota 37.3 #14/51 Illinois 49.1 #34/51 Missouri 54.6 #43/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Ames's construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (45.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Ames, IA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment