I'm stuck in my 2 bedroom townhouse apartment hybrid for 1125 because a studio around me is 1200 a month (or anywhere in range of my office). I live alone, and sleep on my couch, I don't need the rooms, but I can't leave.
I lived in Ames. There's nothing great about it. The local government hates the college, and passes laws that fuck up the town just to spite them. ISU students are more than 50% of the population of the town. All of the apartments rent from August to August. Get there any other month, and your lease goes until August. This means that everyone in town is moving the same day. Worst town I've ever lived in.