Newton, IA vs Altoona, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricNewton, IAAltoona, IA
Population15,70021,495
Median Household Income$57,771$86,114
Median Rent$819/mo$1,235/mo
Median Home Value$153,700$274,600
Cost of Living (US = 100)9292
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50%46.9%
Poverty Rate11.1%8.3%
Unemployment Rate3.6% (county)3.7% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k319184
Property Crime Rate /100k1,3381,399
Median AQI—44
Good AQI Days /yr—224
Summer Highs83°F84°F
Winter Lows14°F15°F
Snowfall29 in/yr25 in/yr
Avg Commute22.3 min22.5 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.414.2
College Degree Rate19.5%33.5%
Foreign-Born %5.2%5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.1%+15.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.