Altoona, Iowa

Altoona, Iowa

Altoona, Iowa, in Polk county, is 8 miles E of Des Moines, Iowa (center to center) and 131 miles E of Omaha, Nebraska. The city is in the Des Moines area. There are 10,345 residents in Altoona.

The People and Families of Altoona

In Altoona, about 63% of adults are married. If you love being around young kids, you'll appreciate Altoona.

Wealth and Education

In 2000, Altoona had a median family income of $58,306. Most of the residents of Altoona tend to have good incomes. In the city, most people are middle class or better. It's worth noting that college degrees are common in Altoona.

Political Inclinations

Altoona folks tended to give their money ($2,000) to George W. Bush in the 2004 Presidential race. More campaign money flowed to the Democratic party than to competing parties.

Altoona Housing

As of 2000, the share of housing units in Altoona that were owner-occupied was 71%. The city housing had been constructed more recently than most cities of its size. As a whole, property taxes tend toward the pricey side in Altoona, but this often equates to better schools and government services.

Commuting

In Altoona, 95% of commuters drive to work.

High Points

Altoona strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Iowa):

Category	Trophy
Median Family Income (vs. State)	Top 7%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 9%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State)	Top 10%
College Educated Adults (vs. State)	Top 12%
People in Middle Class or Better (vs. State)	Top 15%
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 19%

Comparative Profile of Altoona, IA

Comparing Altoona to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Iowa (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Children Under 5 Years Old
Well-Paid Single Women
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Male Share of the Population
Racial Diversity
Age of the Population
Senior Citizens

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People Above Poverty
People in Middle Class or Better
Median Family Income
College Educated Adults

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Short Commute Times
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home
Walking and Biking to Work

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Housing Recently Built
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
People Living Alone
Seasonal and Vacation Housing

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Violent Crime
Low Property Crime

Altoona Almanac

Altoona Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Altoona Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Altoona residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Altoona, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Starbucks in Altoona

Altoona High Schools (2004)

THE HARBOR-SOUTHEAST POLK ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
1301 1ST AVE N
515-957-8811
A Non-traditional School
Serves 69 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

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