BestJobsUSA.com rated Ames sixteenth on its list of the best places to live and work.

Each year, the editors of the employment-search Web site pick 20 cities that offer professionals great employment opportunities, said Diane Licht-Metheney, managing editor of Employment Review.

Though the list is geared towards professionals, every city on the list can be considered a college town, from Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. to the University of Rhode Island in Providence.

Daniel Otto, professor of economics, said college towns are becoming more desirable places to live – a trend that’s been going on for quite some time.

People consider college towns a clean environment with desirable amenities, Otto said. Also, the per-capita income is usually higher in college towns.

According to the Web site, “One of the most noteworthy attributes of Ames is Iowa State University.”

Considering all of the cultural opportunities, athletic events and the resources of Iowa State, the university offers much more than economic value to the city.

“The University allows the community to do an incredible amount,” said Beverly Madden, director of career planning and placement services.

The city can use Iowa State’s resources for events such as the Special Olympics and the Iowa Games, Madden said.

According to the site, “ISU enhances the city’s artistic and cultural offerings through such facilities as The Iowa State Center.”

There was not a lot of entertainment in the area before building the Iowa State Center, said Sara Barr, director of marketing for the center.

The center was really the “first establishment to bring entertainment opportunities to Ames,” she said. Performances at the Iowa State Center add to the economics of the city by drawing people into town who spend their money at Ames hotels and restaurants.

“People go to where the jobs are – to some extent,” said Stuart Huntington, associate professor of community and regional planning.

In 2001, Iowa State employed 13,875 people in a variety of levels from faculty to part-time students. Considering the population of Ames is 50,731, if all the employees of Iowa State lived in Ames, nearly 27 percent of the population would receive a paycheck from the university.

Though Iowa State is the primary employer, to be included on the list the community needs to be more than just a college, Otto said.

Other employers such as the Iowa Department of Transportation and McFarland Clinic add to the economics of the Ames community.

There’s a growing realization that the quality of life is what is what most people really value, Huntington said. People now look for communities that provide what’s attractive to people, he said.

Ames is probably higher on the places to live and work list than Iowa City because of the differences in the economies, Huntington said. Iowa City has a more diversified economy, with more manufacturing which could bring the per-capita income down.

Iowa State is at the top of the “key employers” list on the BestJobsUSA.com page.