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Altoona, IA

City in Polk County, Iowa. ZIP codes: 50009.

Population

21,495

Land area

13.3sq mi

People per sq mi

1,615

ZIP codes

1

Altoona and its ZIP codes

Full map

Altoona at a glance

  • Altoona is about 28 times as dense as Iowa as a whole.
  • By population, it ranks 26th among 1,017 cities and towns in Iowa.
  • The median household income is $86,114, 15% above the Iowa median of $75,059.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $274,600 (32% above Iowa) and median rent is $1,235 a month.

Local data for Altoona, IA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Altoona, IA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$86,114

Poverty rate

8.3%

Median home value

$274,600

Median rent

$1,235/mo

Homeownership

68.7%

Bachelor's or higher

33.5%

Median age

36.1

Average commute

22.5 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (5,151), Irish Americans (2,233), Mexican Americans (1,087).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Polk County. PPP loans are for Altoona.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.8%

Aug 2026, -0.3 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$75,176

314,942 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$69,800

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$3.61B

FY 2026, $7,339 per person

PPP loans

$37M

427 loans, 4,207 jobs reported

Polk County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Altoona, IA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone81.0%
  • Carpooled3.7%
  • Public transit0.1%
  • Walked0.2%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other2.0%
  • Worked from home13.0%

Average one-way commute: 22.5 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Altoona, IA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: strong wind

Storm events since 1996

2,144

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

670

0.4% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

86° / 12°F

37.1 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone

Health statistics

Share of adults in Altoona, IA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

37.3%

U.S. 33.3% +4.0 pts

Diabetes

9.9%

U.S. 12.1% -2.2 pts

Smoking

14.1%

U.S. 12.8% +1.3 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

6.6%

U.S. 11.1% -4.5 pts

ZIP codes in Altoona

1 in or overlapping Altoona. Population shown

·

Cities near Altoona

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
BondurantCity3.3 mi11.1
MitchellvilleCity4.6 mi2.8
Pleasant HillCity5.3 mi10.8
SaylorvilleCensus-designated place7.6 mi6.8
AnkenyCity8.2 mi31.9
Des MoinesCity9.2 mi88.2
ValeriaCity9.5 mi0
ElkhartCity9.9 mi1.9
CarlisleCity10 mi5.7
RunnellsCity11 mi0.6
Windsor HeightsCity12 mi1.4
ColfaxCity12 mi2.6
JohnstonCity13 mi19.5
AllemanCity13 mi2.9
MingoCity13 mi0.6
Prairie CityCity13 mi1.2

Frequently asked questions

What county is Altoona, IA in?
Altoona is in Polk County, Iowa.
What ZIP codes are in Altoona, IA?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Altoona include 50009.
What is the population of Altoona, IA?
About 21,495 people live in Altoona, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Altoona?
Nearby places include Bondurant (3.3 mi), Mitchellville (4.6 mi), Pleasant Hill (5.3 mi), Saylorville (7.6 mi), Ankeny (8.2 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023