© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Iowa
Altoona
Population 21,495
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Iowa
Ames
Population 67,669
Altoona, IA vs Ames, IA
Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.
| Metric | Altoona, IA | Ames, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,495 | 67,669 |
| Median Household Income | $86,114 | $60,991 |
| Median Rent | $1,235/mo | $1,023/mo |
| Median Home Value | $274,600 | $277,400 |
| Cost of Living (US = 100) | 92 | 89 |
| Renters Paying 30%+ of Income | 46.9% | 48.9% |
| Poverty Rate | 8.3% | 25.5% |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% (county) | 2.8% |
| Violent Crime Rate /100k | 184 | 103 |
| Property Crime Rate /100k | 1,399 | 1,267 |
| Median AQI | 44 | — |
| Good AQI Days /yr | 224 | — |
| Summer Highs | 84°F | 82°F |
| Winter Lows | 15°F | 14°F |
| Snowfall | 25 in/yr | 27 in/yr |
| Avg Commute | 22.5 min | 15.6 min |
| Hospitals | — | 1 |
| Avg Hospital Rating | — | 4.0 / 5 |
| Students per Teacher | 14.2 | 14.9 |
| College Degree Rate | 33.5% | 65.8% |
| Foreign-Born % | 5% | 11.6% |
| Population Growth (2020–2025) | +15.9% | +2.7% |
Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.