Neighborhood · Ames, IA

Somerset Eviction Risk: Lower

3 census tracts · pop 9,679 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 3.9/10 · range 3.3–4.4

Somerset is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Ames with 3 census tracts and a population of 9,679 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 3.9/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 58% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 35% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,175/month sits 15% higher than the Ames citywide average ($1,023).

Risk score

3.9

Lower

3 tracts · population-weighted

Somerset vs Ames How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

58.0% +93%

Ames: 30.1%

Average gross rent

$1,175 +15%

Ames: $1,023

Average HH income

$87,280 +45%

Ames: $60,102

Poverty rate

10.9% -58%

Ames: 25.9%

Renter share

29.2% -50%

Ames: 57.9%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Somerset and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 3 tracts span score 3.3–4.4

Why Somerset scores 3.9

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 2.3–2.3 across tracts

2.3

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.9–5.9 across tracts

5.9

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 6.3–6.3 across tracts

6.3

Rent control risk

58% of income on rent · Range 7.2–7.2 across tracts

7.2

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 2.4–2.4 across tracts

2.4

Tenant organizing strength

29% renter households · Range 9.5–9.5 across tracts

9.5

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 8.0–8.0 across tracts

8.0

Economic stress

10.9% below poverty line · Range 1.7–3.5 across tracts

2.8

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 2.6–9.8 across tracts

6.1

Risk score comparison

Somerset vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in Somerset?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 1.1 points from 3.3 to 4.4. Moderate variation across constituent tracts.

Tracts as heat grid

4.4 4.2 3.3

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

3 tracts in Somerset

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19169000300	4.4	2,745	47%	$801
19169000105	4.2	3,091	66%	$1,026
19169000102	3.3	3,843	59%	$1,561

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 29

Pop-weighted across 3 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 23%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 50%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 46%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 31%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Somerset

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

52Total filings (sum)
1.04%Avg annual filing rate
2.5%Peak year (2005)
0.81%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Somerset

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

5.9%Housing insecurity
4.1%Utility shutoff threat
7.2%Food insecurity
5.2%SNAP enrollment
4.5%No health insurance
22.8%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Somerset

What is the eviction-risk score for Somerset?

Somerset scores 3.9/10 (Lower tier) across 3 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Somerset compare to Ames overall?

Somerset scores 1.0 points higher than Ames overall (2.9/10). Renters spend 58% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $1,175 vs $1,023.

What is the average rent in Somerset?

Average gross rent in Somerset is $1,175/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 58% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Somerset residents are renters?

29% of Somerset households are renter-occupied (vs 58% in Ames). The neighborhood has 9,679 residents.

Is Somerset a high social-vulnerability area?

Somerset sits in the 29th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in Somerset have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in Somerset is census tract 19169000300 (score 4.4/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.3 to 4.4, a spread of 1.1 points.

How safe is Somerset for landlords?

Somerset carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (3.9/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Ames as a whole (2.9/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Somerset?

Somerset has 9,822 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (72.1%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (14.2%), Hispanic / Latino (6.7%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Somerset

4.4 Richardson Court 2 tracts · pop 8,678 5.3 Union Drive 3 tracts · pop 10,222

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Ames

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Somerset.

4 Schilletter-University Village 1 tracts · pop 2,748 4.1 Richardson Court 2 tracts · pop 8,678 5.8 Iowa State Center 1 tracts · pop 3,112 6.2 Union Drive 3 tracts · pop 10,222 6.5 Frederiksen Court 1 tracts · pop 5,117

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