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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Altoona Metro

Altoona, PA · 1 counties · 129,144 residents · 525 sq mi
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The short version

Altoona is home to 129,144 people. At a median age of 39.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $71,100. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. Median rent is $411 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 39.5
US median: 35.2
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

129,144
−1%since 1990
from 130,542 in 1990
1990 – 2025
246 / sq mi
−1%since 1990
from 249 / sq mi in 1990
39.5
+9%since 1990
from 36.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
525 sq mi
Population, 19902024
120K123K126K129K131K19902000201020202024Altoona
2024121K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.6%(7,257)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.3%(8,134)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.6%(8,518)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.4%(9,595)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.7%(7,306)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412%(15,459)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415%(19,424)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.3%(18,416)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.7%(12,579)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.6%(11,127)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 846.6%(8,479)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.2%(2,850)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$32,861
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $23,271 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$16,743
+49%since 1990
from $11,233 in 1990
US average: $21,522
12.6%
−1.5 ptssince 1990
from 14.1% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$71,100
+33%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $40,700 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$411
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $299 in 1990
US average: $602
72.9%
+0.3 ptssince 1990
from 72.6% in 1990
27.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic98.7%(128,829)
Black0.8%(1,075)
Hispanic / Latino0.3%(345)
Asian0.3%(364)
2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(125,641)
Black1.2%(1,495)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(662)
Asian0.4%(461)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican0.4%(465)
Mexican0.2%(205)
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
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(315)
Asian Indian0.2%(228)
Cambodian0%(58)
Filipino0%(57)
Pakistani0%(41)
Korean0%(33)
Japanese0%(29)
Thai0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(10)
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)
Norwegian0.2%(249)
Croatian0.2%(247)
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)
Jordanian0%(12)
Egyptian0%(10)
Brazilian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

13.9%
+3.4 ptssince 1990
from 10.5% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
83.8%
+8.8 ptssince 1990
from 75.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
4.7%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 3.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

13.1 min
−19%since 1990
from 16.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.1%(13,925)
Married60.5%(30,051)
Widowed3.3%(1,629)
Divorced8.1%(4,033)
Women 15+
Never married21.9%(12,167)
Married53.3%(29,619)
Widowed15.3%(8,472)
Divorced9.5%(5,266)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

5.8%
−3.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
54.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 54.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
23.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
24.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 24.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.1%(1,442)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39%(3,290)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5%(419)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(85)
US avg: 1%

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

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

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Altoona, PA?

Altoona, PA has about 129,144 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Altoona, PA?

The typical household in Altoona, PA earns about $32,861 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 $71,100, and the typical rent is about $411 a month.

How educated are people in Altoona, PA?

About 13.9% 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 12.6% 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 1,398 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Altoona, PA (2000): population, income & housing data · CensusEasy