Ames & Story County, IA Airbnb revenue and occupancy data
What Airbnb listings in Ames & Story County earn, how often they're booked, and how that compares with the rest of Ames, IA.
Over the past 12 months, regularly available listings in Ames & Story County earned $23,699 on average, were booked for 45% of the nights they were open, and averaged $254 a night. The median gross yield, before expenses, is 12.4%.
Yearly revenue
$23,699
Occupancy
45%
Nightly rate
$254
Gross yield
12.4%
before expenses
Median of 65 listings
Active listings
102
My take on Ames & Story County
Three-bedroom listings in Ames & Story County average $28,199 in trailing-year booking revenue, compared with $24,098 for the same bedroom group across the wider market. Their median potential gross yield is also higher: 12.8% versus 11.2%, before expenses, financing and taxes.
One-bedroom booking revenue is nearly identical to the wider-market figure, so the case for assuming higher local revenue depends on bedroom size. These comparisons support investigating three-bedroom homes rather than applying an area-wide revenue advantage to every property.
Commentary uses groups of at least 20 listings. Tables may include smaller groups.
How much do Airbnb hosts make in Ames & Story County?
Regularly available Airbnb listings in Ames & Story County earned an average of $23,699 over the past 12 months. That is 11% more than the Ames, IA average of $21,419. That is booking revenue including cleaning fees, before Airbnb fees, operating costs and taxes.
What is the Airbnb occupancy rate in Ames & Story County?
Listings in Ames & Story County were booked for an average of 45% of the nights they were open for booking over the past 12 months. That is 2 points lower than the Ames, IA average of 47%. Nights a host blocked off don't count.
How much does an Airbnb cost per night in Ames & Story County?
The average nightly rate in Ames & Story County was $254 over the past 12 months, including cleaning fees. That is 5% higher than the Ames, IA average of $242.
Is an Airbnb in Ames & Story County profitable?
For homes with a matched home value, the median room-revenue potential in Ames & Story County is $31,213 a year and the median gross yield is 12.4%. Gross yield is 0.8 points higher than the Ames, IA median. Gross yield is measured before expenses, financing and taxes, so profit depends on what you pay for a home and what it costs to run. Analyze the exact property before you buy.
Reveal any property's Airbnb profitabilityHow much do Airbnb hosts make in Ames & Story County by bedroom count?
The table shows average yearly revenue and median gross yield for each home size, with the Ames, IA figure for the same size under each one.
| Bedrooms | Yearly revenue | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom 24 listings | $13,602 Ames, IA: $13,598 | Not enough data Ames, IA: 14.4% |
| 2 bedrooms 27 listings | $19,420 Ames, IA: $17,473 | 11.1% Ames, IA: 11.0% |
| 3 bedrooms 24 listings | $28,199 Ames, IA: $24,098 | 12.8% Ames, IA: 11.2% |
| 4+ bedrooms 25 listings | $34,795 Ames, IA: $34,146 | 14.1% Ames, IA: 11.9% |
How does Ames & Story County compare with nearby areas?
Every row uses the same method and data date. Nearby areas link to their own pages.
| Area | Yearly revenue | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames & Story County This area 102 listings | $23,699 | 45% | $254 | 12.4% |
| Ames, IA market 232 listings | $21,419 | 47% | $242 | 11.6% |
| Clear Lake & North-Central Iowa 77 listings | $21,913 | 48% | $272 | 9.2% |
Where is Ames & Story County?
The Ames, IA market includes 4 areas based on local neighborhood and city boundaries. Each listing is counted in the area containing it. Figures cover Ames and Story County together.
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About these figures
How is yearly revenue measured?
It is the average booking revenue a regularly available listing earned over the past 12 months, including cleaning fees and before Airbnb fees, operating costs and taxes. It is an estimate, not verified host payouts.
How is occupancy measured?
For each listing, BNBCalc divides the nights booked by the nights it was open for booking over the past 12 months, then averages the results. Nights a host blocked off are left out.
How is the nightly rate measured?
It is the average price per booked night over the past 12 months, including cleaning fees.
What is room-revenue potential?
It estimates what a listing would earn in a year from its nightly rates if it were available all year at its expected occupancy, based on its last 12 months of bookings. It excludes cleaning fees. It is an estimate, not income a host received.
What is gross yield?
For each listing, BNBCalc divides its room-revenue potential by an estimated value for a home with the same ZIP code and bedroom count, then reports the median. It is measured before expenses, financing and taxes, so it is not profit or a full return on investment.
Which listings are included?
Yearly revenue, occupancy and nightly rate cover listings of every type and size that were open for booking at least 127 nights over the past year (102 in Ames & Story County). Room-revenue potential and gross yield cover entire homes with one to five bedrooms that were also booked for at least 30% of their open nights and have a matched home value. BNBCalc shows no figure for an area with fewer than 5 qualifying listings.
How current is this data?
Figures are current as of October 31, 2026 and refresh monthly.
Why are these figures different from the Ames, IA market page?
The market page summarizes all of Ames, IA from a separate monthly market dataset. This page averages the individual listings in each area, so the two can differ. Use this page to compare areas with each other.
What can't these figures tell me?
They don't include operating costs, financing, taxes, insurance or the price of a specific home, and they don't show whether short-term rentals are allowed. Check local rules and analyze the exact property before you buy.
Related guides
Go deeper on Ames & Story County
With BNBCalc Markets, compare Ames & Story County by bedroom count and performance level, see home prices, and browse its listings on the map.