Altoona, IA

Census Place

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2023 Population

20,592

2.87% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

35.5

1.66% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

7.19%

19.4% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$87,123

2.22% 1-year decline

2023 Median Property Value

$257,300

5.24% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

10,576

3.28% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Altoona, IA had a population of 20.6k people with a median age of 35.5 and a median household income of $87,123. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Altoona, IA grew from 20,017 to 20,592, a 2.87% increase and its median household income declined from $89,100 to $87,123, a −2.22% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Altoona, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (84.4%), White (Hispanic) (4.29%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.47%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.31%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.53%).

None of the households in Altoona, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.9% of the residents in Altoona, IA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Altoona, IA was $257,300, and the homeownership rate was 68.3%.

Most people in Altoona, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Altoona, IA was 2 cars per household.

United States Iowa Polk County, IA Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Polk County (East)--Ankeny & Altoona Cities PUMA, IA

Population & Diversity

Altoona, IA is home to a population of 20.6k people, from which 97.9% are citizens. As of 2023, 5.24% of Altoona, IA residents were born outside of the country (1.08k people).

In 2023, there were 19.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (17.4k people) in Altoona, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 883 White (Hispanic) and 714 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.9%

2023 Citizenship

97.7%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.9% of Altoona, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Altoona, IA was 97.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Altoona, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Altoona, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
17.4k ± 787
White (Hispanic)
883 ± 464
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
714 ± 446

6.88%

Hispanic Population

1.42k people

6.88% of the people in Altoona, IA are hispanic (1.42k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Altoona, IA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
42,604 ± 5,034 people
India
12,351 ± 2,723 people
Vietnam
7,795 ± 2,165 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 42,604 Iowa residents, followed by India with 12,351 and Vietnam with 7,795.

Foreign-Born Population

5.24%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.08k people

4.64%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

929 people

As of 2023, 5.24% of Altoona, IA residents (1.08k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Altoona, IA was 4.64%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Altoona, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (1990s)
501 ± 258
Vietnam
274 ± 110
Gulf War (2001-)
245 ± 137

Altoona, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (1990s), 1.83 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Altoona, IA employs 10.6k people. The largest industries in Altoona, IA are Retail Trade (1,721 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,367 people), and Finance & Insurance (1,305 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($82,656), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($80,724), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($80,724).

Males in Iowa have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $54,745. The income inequality in Iowa (measured using the Gini index) is 0.442, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

10.6k

2023 Value

± 850

3.28%

1 Year growth

± 10.8%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Altoona, IA grew at a rate of 3.28%, from 10.2k employees to 10.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Altoona, IA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,342 people), Business & Financial Operations Occupations (1,160 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,098 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Altoona, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

10.6k

2023 Value

± 850

3.28%

1 Year growth

± 10.8%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Altoona, IA grew at a rate of 3.28%, from 10.2k employees to 10.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Altoona, IA, are Retail Trade (1,721 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,367 people), and Finance & Insurance (1,305 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Altoona, IA, though some of these residents may live in Altoona, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$59,731

Median earning men ± $6,480

$49,618

Median earning women ± $10,005

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($95,156), Public Administration ($83,705), and Construction ($74,444).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($74,904), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,143), and Manufacturing ($69,306).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Y-Axis

1.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Altoona, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (55.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.789%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Chuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

Joni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Measure

In 2022, 0.66% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.685% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (751k), Some college (564k), and Bachelors Degree (469k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Altoona, IA was $257,300 in 2023, which is 0.848 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $244,500 to $257,300, a 5.24% increase. The homeownership rate in Altoona, IA is 68.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Altoona, IA have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Altoona, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$257,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$12,947

$5,372

Median Property Taxes

±$492

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Altoona, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Altoona, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.3%

Homeownership

2023

56%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 68.3% of the housing units in Altoona, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Altoona, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Census Tract 107.03

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

The following map shows all of the places in Altoona, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$87,123

Median Household Income

± $9,514

7.87k

Number of Households

± 738

In 2023, the median household income of the 7.87k households in Altoona, IA declined from $87,123 from the previous year's value of $89,100.

The following chart displays the households in Altoona, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Altoona, IA is from Iowa.

0.442

2022 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.439

2021 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2022, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.442 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.723% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Iowa in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Iowa across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (79.6%)
Worked At Home (12.7%)
Carpooled (4.9%)

In 2023, 79.6% of workers in Altoona, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.7%) and those who carpooled to work (4.9%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Altoona, IA have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.58% of the workforce in Altoona, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Altoona, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Altoona, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Altoona, IA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

7.19% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Altoona, IA (1.46k out of 20.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females < 5 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Altoona, IA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

98.1% of the population of Altoona, IA has health coverage, with 62.1% on employee plans, 13.1% on Medicaid, 10.4% on Medicare, 11.6% on non-group plans, and 0.919% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, IA see 1032 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.683% increase from the previous year (1025 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1294 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 325 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Polk County, IA.

1,032 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, IA

Primary care physicians in Polk County, IA see an average of 1,032 patients per year. This represents a 0.683% increase from the previous year (1,025 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Polk County, IA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.3% under 18 years, 22.3% between 18 and 34 years, 36.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

1.87%

Uninsured

62.1%

Employer Coverage

13.1%

Medicaid

10.4%

Medicare

11.6%

Non-Group

0.919%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Altoona, IA declined by 16% from 2.22% to 1.87%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Altoona, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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