Remote Workers Wanted: 4 Reasons to Choose Ames, IA
Region offers affordable small-town charm with big-city access and plenty of amenities.
The work environment across the U.S. is much different than it was just a few months ago.>
Workdays that once started with a commute to a far-off office tower now begin and end in home offices. Folks are becoming pros at hosting Zoom meetings and attending virtual conferences.>
The era of remote working won’t go away any time soon.>
Thanks to its ever-evolving lifestyle landscape, collegiate foundations, outdoor activities and affordable living options, Ames/Story County offers a prime location for remote workers to live and thrive.>
Vice President of Sales at security software company PC Matic Corey Munson has worked remotely in Ames, IA for almost 15 years.>
“I went to school in Ames, moved back to my hometown, and then back to Ames after becoming an empty nester,” Munson says. “I was drawn back by the small-town feeling with a level of cultural sophistication driven by the university and the community’s mindful expansion.”>
Munson’s list makes up just a few of the advantages remote workers love about living and working in Ames. Here are some others:
In This Article
1. Afford Where You Live by Relocating to Ames, IA
From luxury apartments to sprawling acreages and well-loved bungalows, Ames/Story County offers a housing selection that meets the expectations of those at any income level.
In fact, in terms of the cost of living, it comes in at 11.3% below the national average in Ames, according to Salary.com.
“Cost of living is one of the reasons we decided to move into the Ames area,” says Scott Bross, who has worked remotely for the global company RingCentral for the last three years.
2. Find Valuable Resources in Story County
In Ames/Story County, remote workers have all the resources they need to succeed. Thanks to a $25 million fiber-optic buildout investment by MetroNet, the region began launching countywide internet in 2019.
For those without Wi-Fi, there are a number of public internet options, including numerous coffee shops and public libraries.
And should working from home begin to get too repetitive, remote workers can shake it up and work from one of the area’s coworking spaces, such as Catalyst Coworking, which sports floating flex desks, communal meeting spaces, a coffee bar and 24/7 keycard access.
3. Ditch the Commute and Explore the Outdoors in Iowa
If you eliminate commuting to and from the office, packing your lunch and getting ready to go into work, it adds a significant amount of time to your day. And when you live in Ames/Story County, all of that extra time can be spent in the great outdoors.
Home to a slew of wooded parks, miles of bike and pedestrian trails, a handful of golf courses, an aquatics center and an ice rink, the region gives residents a wealth of options to stay active. You’ll love finishing out your workday and having plenty of time to cast a line in the Skunk River or hop over to Boone, IA (a community near Ames) to check out Ledges State Park and Trestle Trail Bridge.
4. Find a Central Location to Get Your “Big-City Fix”
In addition to the region’s activities, Ames is only a few hours from the Midwest’s largest cities, like Chicago, Minneapolis and Kansas City, so it’s easy to get your “big-city fix.”
Des Moines, IA is only a 30-minute drive and offers entertainment options like the Science Center, an IMAX Theater and Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs Triple A baseball team. Additionally, East Village boasts a variety of trendy shops and restaurants.
Ames is also less than an hour from Des Moines International Airport, which offers direct service to 30 U.S. cities.
Want to learn more about this Iowa gem? Check out the latest edition of Livability Ames/Story County, Iowa.
