City · Iowa
Altoona, Iowa
Altoona, city, in Polk County, Iowa. Altoona had 22,796 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 15.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 19,565 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 21,495 (±44). GEOID 1901630.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
22,796
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 19,565 · ACS 2020-2024: 21,495 ±44
Median household income
$86,114
±$12,409 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$274,600
±$10,844 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,235
±$104 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Altoona and what county is it in?
Altoona is a city in Polk County, Iowa. It covers 13.3 square miles of land, 1,470 residents per square mile in 2020.
Altoona is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Altoona, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 22,796 people lived in Altoona on July 1, 2025, up 15.9% since 2020, faster than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 19,565 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 21,495 (±44).
| Measure | Altoona | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 21,495 ±44 | 503,175 | +3,037 |
| Households | 8,489 ±397 | 205,358 | +1,767 |
| Average household size | 2.51 ±0.12 | 2.41 | −0.22 |
| Housing units | 8,773 ±448 | 218,486 | +1,676 |
Altoona's population since 2000
From 10,345 in 2000 to 22,796 in 2025: up 120.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Altoona as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Altoona?
The median resident of Altoona is 36.1 years old; 25.6% are under 18 and 17.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.5%. 5.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Altoona | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 ±2.1 | 36.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.6% ±2.8 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.1% ±2.1 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Male | 46.4% ±3.2 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.5% ±2.4 pts | 10.4% | +3.1 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.7% ±4.3 pts | 73.2% | −10.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.1% ±3.6 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.1 pts | 4.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±1.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.0% ±2.1 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±1.4 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.6% ±2.1 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 14.0% ±4.1 pts | 11.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.5% ±1.1 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.2% ±1.3 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 33.5% ±4.0 pts | 40.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.4% ±2.1 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.3% ±2.5 pts | 85.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±0.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Altoona earn?
Half of Altoona's 8,489 households earn less than $86,114 a year (±$12,409), against $83,576 in Polk County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $95,478 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Altoona | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,114 ±$12,409 | $83,576 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $105,985 ±$7,899 | $109,398 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,593 ±$3,409 | $45,622 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.3% ±2.9 pts | 10.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.7% ±5.7 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.1% ±2.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.2% ±0.7 pts | 96.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7% ±2.0 pts | 91.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Altoona?
Owners occupy 68.7% of Altoona's occupied homes and renters 31.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $274,600 by its owner (±$10,844). The median renter pays $1,235 a month including utilities, and 33.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Altoona | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $274,600 ±$10,844 | $262,100 | +$32,646 |
| Median gross rent | $1,235 ±$104 | $1,149 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.8% ±10.4 pts | 35.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,813 ±$58 | $1,741 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.7% ±3.8 pts | 67.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.3% ±3.8 pts | 32.6% | – |
| Housing units | 8,773 ±448 | 218,486 | +1,676 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.6% ±3.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.6% ±4.3 pts | 62.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.5% ±1.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.8% ±1.9 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 24.6% ±4.3 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.0% ±1.3 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7% ±2.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Altoona building?
Builders took permits for 183 new housing units in Altoona in 2025 (183 in single-family houses), 8.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Altoona work and get to work?
81.0% of Altoona's workers drive alone and 13.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.5%.
| Measure | Altoona | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.3% ±2.7 pts | 71.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% ±4.2 pts | 4.4% | +6.0 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 81.0% ±3.6 pts | 72.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.7% ±1.4 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.0% ±2.9 pts | 15.7% | +8.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.5 min ±1.9 | 20.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Altoona?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Altoona, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $67,062 (Tract 107.07) to $105,283 (Tract 107.08).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 107.08Polk County | 6,572 | $105,283 |
| Tract 107.03Polk County | 5,653 | $73,438 |
| Tract 107.09Polk County | 4,464 | $91,111 |
| Tract 107.07Polk County | 4,468 | $67,062 |
| Tract 106.02Polk County | 7,466 | $82,347 |
| Tract 101.02Polk County | 13,605 | $134,735 |
| Tract 107.02Polk County | 6,739 | $109,957 |
| Tract 106.01Polk County | 2,853 | $61,118 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Altoona) · Census block assignment files
How does Altoona compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Altoona is the 1,739th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 26th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Altoona ranks 69th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 26th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 11th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 53rd | 279 |
| Median household income | 69th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 73rd | 279 |
| Median home value | 40th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 17th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 157th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66th | 279 |
| Median age | 221st | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 195th | 279 |
| Work from home | 49th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 89th | 279 |
Altoona's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Altoona with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Altoona?
10 of the 57 figures for Altoona on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Altoona are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Altoona.