METRO AREA
Altoona Metro
Altoona, PA · 1 counties · 119,541 residents (2025 est.) · 525 sq mi
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The short version
Altoona is a metro area of 121,277 people. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $161,100. The foreign-born share is 2%. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 43.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median rent is $885 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
121,277
−6%since 2000
from 129,144 in 2000
119,541 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
525 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024121K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(6,011)
5 to 95.5%(6,673)
10 to 146.1%(7,348)
15 to 196.7%(8,176)
20 to 245.2%(6,283)
25 to 3412%(14,569)
35 to 4412%(14,497)
45 to 5412%(14,577)
55 to 6414.1%(17,075)
65 to 7412.6%(15,224)
75 to 846.2%(7,475)
85 and over2.8%(3,369)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$62,382
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,861 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
42.7%
+21.8 ptssince 2009
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.7%
Retail trade11%
Finance & insurance8.1%
Professional, scientific, technical7.2%
Wholesale trade5.8%
Other services3.5%
Public administration2.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
Construction1%
Education & health services0.8%
Manufacturing0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$161,100
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.6
+11%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(125,641)
Black1.2%(1,495)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(662)
Asian0.4%(461)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(111,091)
Black1.9%(2,293)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(1,925)
Asian0.7%(849)
Other4.2%(5,119)
20
+127%since 2009
from 9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
28
−12%since 2020
from 32 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican0.4%(465)
South American0.3%(346)
Mexican0.2%(205)
Central American0.2%(203)
Venezuelan0.1%(152)
Ecuadorian0.1%(145)
Cuban0.1%(142)
Dominican0.1%(132)
Panamanian0.1%(115)
Guatemalan0.1%(61)
Colombian0%(49)
Spaniard0%(40)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Costa Rican0%(15)
Salvadoran0%(12)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(315)
Asian Indian0.2%(228)
Cambodian0%(58)
Filipino0%(57)
Pakistani0%(41)
Vietnamese0%(37)
Korean0%(33)
Japanese0%(29)
Sri Lankan0%(27)
Thai0%(1)
Ancestry
German34.8%(42,144)
Irish17%(20,597)
Italian9.6%(11,682)
English9.1%(11,096)
American6%(7,258)
Polish4.1%(5,027)
Scottish1.6%(1,982)
French1.2%(1,489)
Dutch1.1%(1,355)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,026)
Slovak0.7%(883)
Welsh0.7%(880)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.7%(791)
Ukrainian0.5%(590)
Swedish0.4%(474)
Russian0.4%(437)
Czech0.3%(359)
Hungarian0.3%(349)
British0.3%(310)
Arab0.3%(304)
Greek0.2%(262)
French Canadian0.2%(258)
Norwegian0.2%(249)
Croatian0.2%(247)
Subsaharan African0.2%(239)
Canadian0.2%(192)
Austrian0.1%(176)
Syrian0.1%(137)
Lebanese0.1%(120)
Lithuanian0.1%(114)
West Indian0.1%(105)
Belgian0.1%(94)
Portuguese0.1%(84)
Nigerian0.1%(68)
Jamaican0%(54)
Danish0%(49)
Romanian0%(48)
Slovene0%(33)
Bulgarian0%(28)
Serbian0%(25)
Haitian0%(20)
Finnish0%(19)
Macedonian0%(14)
Jordanian0%(12)
Egyptian0%(10)
Brazilian0%(10)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
93.8%
+10.1 ptssince 2000
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 72.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
89.5%
+4.4 ptssince 2020
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.1%(16,911)
Married50.9%(25,216)
Widowed3.8%(1,908)
Divorced11.2%(5,549)
Women 15+
Never married27.6%(14,277)
Married47.9%(24,725)
Widowed11.7%(6,022)
Divorced12.8%(6,637)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
14.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
3.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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)19.7%(1,663)
Gulf War (1990s)17.1%(1,442)
Vietnam era39%(3,290)
Korean War5%(419)
World War II1%(85)
Share of the 8,437 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
In this metro
Largest cities
AltoonaCENTRAL42,347Hollidaysburg5,470Tyrone5,226Greenwood2,853Penn Farms2,508Roaring Spring2,280Loop2,039Martinsburg1,811Bellwood1,748Lakemont1,644Claysburg1,244Duncansville1,207Williamsburg1,196Tipton730Juniata Gap691East Freedom597Sylvan Hills578Grazierville511Eldorado476Foot of Ten466Sunbrook440Cross Keys420Sproul393Olivia387Pinecroft350Homewood at Martinsburg332East Altoona324Newburg306Tunnelhill302Roots287
The 30 most populous of 94 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.
What's inside
1 component county
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Altoona
Goldsboro
Pop 122,278
Lawton
Pop 127,590
St. Simons
Pop 118,524
Battle Creek
Pop 133,408
Places similar to AltoonaHead to head
Compare Altoona side by side
ALTOONA VS
Goldsboro
Income$59,733−4%
Home value$178,700+11%
Population122,278+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALTOONA VS
Lawton
Income$60,660−3%
Home value$161,650same
Population127,590+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALTOONA VS
St. Simons
Income$66,040+6%
Home value$257,539+60%
Population118,524−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALTOONA VS
Battle Creek
Income$63,177+1%
Home value$162,800+1%
Population133,408+12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Altoona, PA?
Altoona, PA has about 121,277 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Altoona, PA?
The typical household in Altoona, PA earns about $62,382 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Altoona, PA expensive?
In Altoona, PA, the median home is worth about $161,100, and the typical rent is about $885 a month.
How educated are people in Altoona, PA?
About 24.4% of adults age 25 and over in Altoona, PA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Altoona, PA?
About 12.0% of people in Altoona, PA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Altoona, PA grown since 1990?
Yes, Altoona, PA has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 9,265 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024