Everything in this guide radiates from the Bergstrom Football Complex on the south end of Jack Trice Stadium. Ames is a compact college town, so nearly every spot a Cyclones athlete needs sits within a 15-minute drive of the complex.
The default athlete pick: newer student communities a few minutes from the Bergstrom complex where teammates cluster, with controlled-access buildings and unbeatable convenience.
Walkable to campus, dining and nightlife with newer high-rises like 2700 Lincoln; lively, great value and where most students and athletes actually rent.
Resort-style off-campus communities with pools, 24-hour gyms and furnished units give athletes recovery-friendly amenities at a realistic price, a short drive from the facility.
A newer, walkable New Urbanist village with townhome and condo rentals, offering a polished, quieter step up from Campustown noise while staying close to campus.
Ames' sought-after newer residential area with paved bike paths and larger rental homes, a safe, settled landing spot for an athlete wanting distance from the student core.
The premium pick for bigger NIL money: upscale rental homes and townhomes around a private lake deliver real privacy and space while staying a short drive from the complex.