Altoona is home to 43,196 people in Pennsylvania. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $119,900. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 34%. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. Density works out to 4,412 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $51,250, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Altoona
What changed most since 1990
Population51,881 → 43,196(−17%)US over the same years: +35%
White share97.7% → 88.0%(−9.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Altoona's population equals 36% of Blair County's. Its number of households without a car equals 53% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 49% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)23.9%(668)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.1%(590)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.2%(926)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.8%(163)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(15)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,792 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Altoona, decade by decade
Altoona population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
51,881
$49,669
$73,442
9.5%
5.6
2000
49,523
$51,458
$104,927
12.1%
10.7
2010
46,320
$51,255
$114,798
15.8%
16.6
2020
43,963
$51,201
$112,598
18.1%
27.3
2024
43,196
$51,250
$119,900
20.5%
27.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
