Altoona

Population: 20,592
Median household income: $87,123
Median home value: $257,300

Located in Polk County, Iowa, Altoona is a community with a population of 20,592. Its median household income of $87,123 runs above the Polk County figure of $81,621.

Between 2019 and 2023, Altoona's population grew 11.6% from 18,458 to 20,592, while its median home value rose 30.9% from $196,600 to $257,300.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 19.9% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 84.4% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 20,592
Median age: 35.5 yrs
Median household income: $87,123
Median home value: $257,300
Median gross rent: $1,203
Housing units: 8,187
Homeownership rate: 68.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 32.6%
Unemployment rate: 6.7%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

18,45820,592

Median household income

$77,581$87,123

Median home value

$196,600$257,300

Median gross rent

$931$1,203

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	18,458	$77,581	$196,600	$931
2020	18,917	$79,482	$199,600	$1,027
2021	19,345	$83,514	$212,300	$1,072
2022	20,017	$89,100	$244,500	$1,140
2023	20,592	$87,123	$257,300	$1,203

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.4%

5 to 1719.9%

18 to 248.3%

25 to 3414.8%

35 to 4413.6%

45 to 5411.0%

55 to 6411.5%

65 to 749.3%

75 and over5.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,313	6.4%
5 to 17	4,108	19.9%
18 to 24	1,709	8.3%
25 to 34	3,038	14.8%
35 to 44	2,792	13.6%
45 to 54	2,265	11.0%
55 to 64	2,375	11.5%
65 to 74	1,925	9.3%
75 and over	1,067	5.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	17,389	84.4%
Black or African American	714	3.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	22	0.1%
Asian	305	1.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	63	0.3%
Two or more races	682	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,417	6.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma4.4%

High school graduate30.9%

Some college or associate's32.1%

Bachelor's degree24.6%

Graduate or professional degree8.0%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	596	4.4%
High school graduate	4,159	30.9%
Some college or associate's	4,325	32.1%
Bachelor's degree	3,307	24.6%
Graduate or professional degree	1,075	8.0%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone79.6%

Carpooled4.9%

Public transit0.5%

Walked0.0%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home12.7%

Other means2.1%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	8,269	79.6%
Carpooled	509	4.9%
Public transit	50	0.5%
Walked	0	0.0%
Bicycle	22	0.2%
Worked from home	1,320	12.7%
Other means	213	2.1%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,321	25.6%
15 to 29 min	4,139	45.7%
30 to 44 min	1,660	18.3%
45 to 59 min	600	6.6%
60+ min	343	3.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.60
Poverty rate: 7.2% (1,460 of 20,319)

	Count	Share
Family households	5,181	65.9%
Nonfamily households	2,684	34.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1998

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	7,865	96.1%
Vacant	322	3.9%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,372	68.3%
Renter-occupied	2,493	31.7%

1-unit, detached60.8%

1-unit, attached10.8%

2 to 4 units2.9%

5 to 19 units8.1%

20 or more units13.7%

Mobile home & other3.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,980	60.8%
1-unit, attached	888	10.8%
2 to 4 units	239	2.9%
5 to 19 units	660	8.1%
20 or more units	1,119	13.7%
Mobile home & other	301	3.7%

Geography

Place GEOID: 1901630
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 13 sq mi
Water area: 0.02 sq mi
Center point: 41.6506, -93.4800