Overall City RankingOut of 2901 cities — 93rd percentile
In the U.S.
In the Midwest
In Iowa
Ames achieved an impressive improvement in their City Ratings score over the last four years, growing from a score of 40 in 2020 to a score of 66 in 2024. Bike projects are a major component of the city’s Capital Improvements Plan, with approximately 10% of the total budget earmarked for new bike facilities each year. While it isn't as big as other larger Midwest cities, Ames’ population is big enough to be considered a metropolitan area, giving city staff access to transportation planning and analysis tools that allow them to better map stress levels on local streets and plan improvements that can make the biggest impact on improving bicycling.
Network ScoreAverage Network Score for all cities in 2025 was 30.
Access to parts of the city where residents live.
Access to jobs and schools.
Access to places that serve basic needs, like hospitals and grocery stores.
Access to recreational amenities like parks and trails.
Access to major shopping centers.
Access to major transit hubs.
City Rating Through Time
Score changes over time reflect investments in bike infrastructure, adjustments to speed limits, and OpenStreetMap data quality improvements.
This interactive map shows high-stress and low-stress areas for bicycling in Ames. If you'd like to see interactive versions of this map with additional street-level data, explore PeopleForBikes' BNA tool.
PeopleForBikes Senior Director for Infrastructure Dave Snyder will discuss how local and state funding for bike projects is essential to take advantage of an unprecedented amount of federal funding that often requires a local match.
PeopleForBikes’ Legislative Strategies Guide features the best, real-world examples of policy changes being adopted in communities across the U.S. to create more great places to ride bikes.
Bicycles are a crucial component in the fight against climate change, offering a sustainable solution to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.