Electricity in Ames, Iowa
Ames has its own city-owned electric utility, City of Ames. Alliant Energy (Interstate Power and Light), Midland Power Cooperative and Consumers Energy Cooperative also serve homes in Story County, so check the name on your bill. The average City of Ames home paid $72.36 a month in 2025 (12.1¢ per kWh). The Iowa average was $117.30.
- 68,220 people (2025 estimate)
- Story County
- EIA data, 2025
Electric utilities in Ames
EIA lists utilities by county, not by city. These utilities serve homes in Story County. Your address has one utility: its name is on your bill, or type your ZIP code in the utility finder.
| Utility | Homes in Iowa | Average bill 2025 | 1,000 kWh now |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of AmesCity-owned utility of Ames | 25,123 | $72.36597 kWh, 12.1¢ | — |
| Alliant Energy (Interstate Power and Light)Investor-owned utility · bill calculator | 419,451 | $131.38739 kWh, 17.8¢ | $175.33 |
| Midland Power CooperativeElectric cooperative | 12,083 | $202.011,479 kWh, 13.7¢ | — |
| Consumers Energy CooperativeElectric cooperative | 7,121 | $160.491,081 kWh, 14.8¢ | — |
2 smaller utilities with fewer than 1,000 homes are also listed in the county. The average bill is the 2025 average of each utility's homes that bought their power from it (EIA-861); a dash means that its homes buy power from a retail supplier. The 1,000 kWh bill is from the official tariff, before taxes, for the utilities that have a calculator on this site. The Iowa average was $117.30 a month for 861 kWh (13.6¢ per kWh).
Solar power in Ames
A home solar system on a south-facing roof in Ames makes about 1,383 kWh a year for each kW of panels (PVWatts, National Laboratory of the Rockies). A 6 kW system makes about 8,297 kWh a year. See what that saves on your utility's rates with the solar savings calculator.
Lower your electric bill in Ames
- Open your utility above for its average bill, outages and rates, or the bill calculator to check your own bill.
- Help paying your Alliant Energy (Interstate Power and Light) bill: 4 programs, with who qualifies and how to apply.
- Help paying the electric bill in Iowa: bill assistance, payment plans and discounts.
- Why is my electric bill so high? and the appliance cost calculator.
More about Iowa: Iowa electric rates and all Iowa utilities, business electricity rates and natural gas bills. Other cities: Des Moines, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Dubuque, Iowa City, Marshalltown, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City.
Who provides electricity in Ames, IA?
Ames has its own city-owned electric utility, City of Ames. Alliant Energy (Interstate Power and Light), Midland Power Cooperative and Consumers Energy Cooperative also serve homes in Story County, so check the name on your bill.
What is the average electric bill in Ames, IA?
The average City of Ames home paid $72.36 a month in 2025 (12.1¢ per kWh). The Iowa average was $117.30 a month for 861 kWh. Your bill depends on your kWh and your rate plan.
utilityratecalc.com is not part of any utility or city government. Sources: Census Bureau city population estimates, Vintage 2025 (the city and its counties); EIA-861 data, 2025 (utilities by county, homes and average bills).