City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Altoona, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Altoona - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,750
Residents
$80,126
Median income
$220,900
Median home
$1,181
Median rent (state)

Altoona - the verdict

Nationally, Altoona sits in the 62nd percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

62nd
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
35th
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Altoona, WI

Wisconsin's Altoona is a small town, with 8,750 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Altoona households earn a median of $80,126 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Typical homes in Altoona are valued around $220,900, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. About 41.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 79 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 30% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1839.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wisconsin at 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,181 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 78.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

8,750 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$80,126 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Altoona compare to other US cities?

Where Altoona sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 62% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 35% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Wisconsin and the picture shifts: Altoona ranks #167 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Altoona's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

62ndIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

62nd percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Altoona's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Altoona's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 52 Avg. percentile National median
Altoona's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Altoona's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$220,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Altoona $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Altoona, WI Altoona, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Altoona, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Altoona, WI median $80,126/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Altoona, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Altoona, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,750
Median Income
$80,126
Median Home Value
$220,900
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
66.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1839.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
31.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1808.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,000 residents8,500 residents9,000 residents9,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,413 residents 9,376 residents ▲ +11.4%
Altoona's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
79
housing units authorized
Single-Family
13
detached homes
Multifamily
66
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 113
2020 256
2021 214
2022 90
2023 166
2024 79

Permit volume decreased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.9%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
12.8%
Other
0.7%

Based on 4,546 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Altoona sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,181/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Monona
8,604 people
Plymouth
8,913 people
Delavan
8,531 people
Windsor
8,992 people
Rice Lake
9,030 people
Lake Geneva
8,443 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Altoona's 8,750 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Coffeyville, KS
8,752 people
Milton, WA
8,747 people
Toppenish, WA
8,746 people
Mascoutah, IL
8,743 people
Franklin, NH
8,757 people
North Haledon, NJ
8,757 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Altoona's $80,126 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Day Heights, OH
$80,125 median income
Marklesburg, PA
$80,125 median income
Deer Park, OH
$80,122 median income
Cosmopolis, WA
$80,132 median income
White Oak, MD
$80,118 median income
Mascotte, FL
$80,114 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Altoona, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Altoona, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.7% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 88.7% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 7.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Altoona compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Altoona (this city) 8,750 $80,126
Monona 8,604 $87,784
Plymouth 8,913 $67,784
Delavan 8,531 $71,121
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Altoona, WI?

What is the population of Altoona, WI? +

Altoona, WI has a population of 8,750 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Altoona, WI? +

Median annual household income in Altoona runs $80,126, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Altoona? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Altoona; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Altoona, WI safe? +

Altoona has a total crime rate of 1839.4 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Altoona, WI? +

Homes in Altoona carry a median value of $220,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.