Assistance grant
City of Ames CDBG Homebuyer Assistance Program (with Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa)
First-time homebuyers · New construction · Income limits · Single Family (newly constructed)
Down payment assistance · Story County
Buying a home in Ames, IA
1 Ames program and 9 statewide.Ames has 1 program of its own, and 9 statewide. Here is what each one offers, what the local market looks like, and who near you can walk you through it.
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Only for Ames addresses
Ames’s own program
The Ames marketThe Ames housing market
Kinds of homes hereWhat’s for sale here, and what the programs accept
Kinds of homes in Ames
- 38.2% single-familysingle-family
- 6.5% townhousetownhouse
- 7.8% 2–4 units2–4 units
- 44.4% 5+ unitscondo & apartment buildings (5+ units)
- 3% mobile & othermobile home & other
About condos. Ames’s one local program does not list condos as eligible. City of Ames CDBG Homebuyer Assistance Program (with Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa) lists single family (newly constructed).
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Table B25024.
When Ames’s homes were built
pre-19401970s2020+
39.9%
of Ames homes were built before 1980. Pre-1978 homes come with a federal lead-paint disclosure.of homes were built before 1980. A home built before 1978 comes with a federal lead-paint disclosure, and some programs require an inspection.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Table B25034.
$122,400
County area median income, 4 people (HUD)HUD area median income, Story County, 4-person household (2026)
$60,991
Ames median household incomeMedian household income in Ames (Census, 2024)
11 of the 72 programs here set their income limit as a share of Story County’s area median income, adjusted for household size. See the published limits for Story County
Free help nearbyFree help near Ames
Free help from a HUD-approved housing counselorFree help from a HUD-approved housing counselor
Create a free account to see who’s near you and pick one.A HUD-approved counselor teaches homebuyer classes and can walk you through your options. Create a free account to see who’s near you and pick one.
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Across Iowa and nationwide
71 statewide & federal programs9 statewide programs, plus federal options
Ames questions
Does Ames have its own down payment program?
Yes, one: City of Ames CDBG Homebuyer Assistance Program (with Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa), a assistance grant for first-time homebuyers (new construction, income limits). It is for homes inside Ames.
Can I use assistance on a condo in Ames?
Ames’s one local program does not list condos as eligible. City of Ames CDBG Homebuyer Assistance Program (with Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa) lists single family (newly constructed). Each program’s page lists the kinds of homes it accepts, and the agency confirms it for the home you choose.
What is the income limit in Story County?
Each program sets its own. 11 of the programs here set theirs as a share of HUD’s area median income for Story County, adjusted for household size. HUD publishes the median each year; the 2026 figure is shown above and on the published limits page.
Where can I take a homebuyer class near Ames?
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach homebuyer classes. Create a free account and take the 90-second match to see the ones near you.
ZIP codes
50010 · 50011 · 50012 · 50013 · 50014
Nearby in Story
Sources
Sources: agency sites (June–September 2026), Census ACS 2024 5-year, HUD FY2026, HUD counseling list. Hey Prescott is not a lender.Programs: Hey Prescott catalog of 2,000+ programs, each verified with its agency (June–September 2026). Market: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Income: HUD FY2026 income limits. Counselors: HUD list of approved housing counseling agencies. Hey Prescott is not a lender.