any metropolitan area in the US in 2016. By June 2018, unemployment in Ames had fallen even further, to 1.5%, and wage increases for workers were not keeping pace with rising rents. Top employers According to Ames's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Arts and culture Ames History Museum - founded in 1980, the museum also operates a historic schoolhouse. Brunnier Art Museum (Scheman Building) Ames Public Library - located in a Carnegie library, it was founded in 1904. it has 1,386,273 items in circulations, including 799,349 books and 586,924 multimedia items. The Octagon Center for the Arts - the Center includes galleries, art classes, art studios, and retail shop. They sponsor the local street fair, The Octagon Arts Festival, and hold an annual National Juried Exhibition Clay, Fiber, Paper Glass Metal, Wood. Sports Iowa Sports Foundation The Iowa State Cyclones play a variety of sports in the Ames area. The Iowa State Cyclones football team plays at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Also, the Cyclones' Men's and Women's Basketball teams and Volleyball teams play at Hilton Coliseum just across the street from Jack Trice Stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones are a charter member of the Big 12 Conference in all sports and compete in NCAA Division I-A. The Iowa State Women's Tennis is also well known and very successful. The Ames Figure Skating Club provides recreational to professional level skating opportunities. The club sponsors the Learn to Skate Program. Coaches provide on and off ice lessons or workshops. The club hosts the figure skating portion of the Iowa Games competition every summer. In the fall the club hosts Cyclone Country Championships. The Ames ISU ice arena also hosts the Iowa State Cyclones hockey team. The arena also hosts the Ames Little Cyclones hockey program for high school students and children in elementary or middle school. Education Much of the city is served by the Ames Community School District. A portion of northern Ames is zoned to the Gilbert Community School District. Public high school in Ames Ames High School: Grades 9–12 Public elementary/middle schools in Ames David Edwards Elementary: K-5 Abbie Sawyer Elementary School: Grades K-5 Kate Mitchell Elementary School: Grades K-5 Warren H. Meeker Elementary School: Grades K-5 Gertrude Fellows Elementary School: Grades K-5 Ames Middle School: Grades 6–8 Gilbert CSD students are zoned to Gilbert High School. Private schools in Ames