How does Union Drive compare with Ames overall?

Union Drive, Ames, Iowa is priced about 14% above the city median and has a gross yield of 3.3. The Red Flag score is 44, walkability is 50, and education is in the 93rd percentile, so it stands out more on school-score percentile than on yield.

What is the education score in Union Drive?

Union Drive, Ames, Iowa is in the 93rd percentile for education, which is a high objective school-district test-score percentile. The neighborhood also has a gross yield of 3.3, walkability of 50, and a Red Flag score of 44.

How has Union Drive’s price trend changed over the past year?

Union Drive, Ames, Iowa is up 6.1% over the past year. It is also priced about 14% above the city median and 32% above the state median, with a gross yield of 3.3 and a Red Flag score of 44.

Neighborhood

Union Drive

Ames, Iowa US

Union Drive, Ames, Iowa is a moderately priced, lower-yield neighborhood with a gross yield of 3.3 and a Red Flag score of 44. Prices are about 14% above the city median and 32% above the state median, while values are up 6.1% over the past year. Walkability is 50, and education is in the 93rd percentile, so the strongest numeric feature is the school-score percentile, balanced by a modest yield.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

4.21 mi²

ZIP Code

50014

County

Story County

State

Iowa

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5US Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$375,389

YoY+6.1%

Gross Rental Yield

3.3%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

Moderate

44 / 100

Walkability Score

Somewhat Walkable

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

93 / 100

Excellent · better than 93% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Fair

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

Union Drive Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Union Drive, Ames.

Unlock the Union Drive 12-month price trend

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$375,389	+6.1%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$229/sqft	+3.2%
Asking Rent (Median)	$1,046/mo	+0.4%
Gross Rental Yield	3.3%	—
Liquidity Score	29 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	80	-7.0%

Is Union Drive Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Iowa crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

44 / 100

Moderate Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Tornado80Very High

Hail80Very High

Wildfire60High

Strong Wind60High

Flood40Moderate

Hurricane20Low

Earthquake20Low

Heat20Low

8/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): Iowa averaged 15.4 crimes and 2.4 violent per 1,000 residents (-9.2% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

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See all eight FEMA hazard scores — free with a DistrictScore account.

What Stands Out AI Insight

Appreciating market — +6.1% sale-price YoY

Active transaction volume — 80 homes sold last period

Tornado risk is Very High (80/100)

Hail risk is Very High (80/100)

Insights are generated from Union Drive's live DistrictScore metrics.

Union Drive Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Iowa-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Air Quality — PM2.5

2015–2024

6.5 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-7.4% since 2015

EPA 9WHO 5

20152024

Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Union Drive centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 68% of U.S. neighborhoods.

Iowa Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	15.4	2.4	-9.2%
2023	17.1	2.7	+1.5%
2022	16.9	2.9	-6.1%
2021	18.0	3.0	-8.9%
2020	20.0	3.0	-6.2%
2019	21.4	2.9	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Union Drive inherits the Iowa figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 1

Zone 1 — Highest potential · Union Drive

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Walkability & Amenities in Union Drive

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

50

Somewhat Walkable

Walkability Score

11

Grocery

28

Dining

3

Schools

0

Universities

4

Hospitals

1

Pharmacies

13

Parks

3

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within Union Drive's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

Union Drive vs Ames vs Iowa

How Union Drive benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

Across Union Drive, the median sale price sits about 14% above the median for Ames neighborhoods and about 32% above the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 3.3%, against 4.5% for Ames neighborhoods and 4.8% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices rose 6.1%. Transaction liquidity sits in line with the median for Ames neighborhoods and below the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
Union Drive	$229/sqft	3.3%	29
Ames	$200/sqft	4.5%	29
Iowa	$174/sqft	4.8%	32

Unlock the Union Drive benchmark

Compare Union Drive against Ames and Iowa medians — free with a DistrictScore account.

Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & Iowa tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~1.25% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

State income tax up to 3.8%; rental income is taxed at these rates.

State Capital Gains

Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: real estate transfer tax.

Assessment Cap

No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.

US citizens & tax residents8

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Homestead Exemption

Homestead exemption with unlimited protection from most creditors (subject to limits).

1031 State Conformity

The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & Iowa property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Ames Real-Estate News

New Fed chairman may leave mortgage rates mostly unchanged

Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

Household real estate wealth hits record $48.7 trillion

Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

Union Drive Real Estate FAQ

Union Drive, Ames, Iowa has a gross yield of 3.3, with prices about 14% above the city median and 32% above the state median. The Red Flag score is 44, and prices are up 6.1% over the past year. The profile is more growth-leaning than yield-heavy.

Neighborhoods near Union Drive

Compare Union Drive with nearby neighborhoods in Ames.

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