Population 3,081 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alta
Household size in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.30 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Alta average 2.79 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has climbed from 2.49 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.0 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.9 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Alta is 38.0 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Alta as they are nationally: 11.7%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Iowa as a whole (10.0%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alta
Renters in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.2% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Alta is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 50.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Alta is close to the national rate: 9.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +6 | +6 |
Alta is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $552 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $645 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $734 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $960 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$409 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Alta pays $960 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 33.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alta
Bachelor's degrees in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.5% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Alta (26.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.8% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.9% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.5% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Alta is close to the national rate: 88.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Iowa as a whole (93.0%).
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alta
| Period | Alta | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.9% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Alta runs well above the national rate: 13.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alta compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta | 2.79 | 38.0 | 11.7% | 22.5% | 9.4% | 1966 | $960 | 26.8% | 88.5% | 13.3% |
| Storm Lake | 2.69 | 33.5 | 11.9% | 31.3% | 6.5% | 1969 | $965 | 20.4% | 74.5% | 3.7% |
| Aurelia | 2.31 | 47.2 | 5.9% | 13.6% | 16.7% | 1957 | $825 | 28.3% | 96.2% | 2.1% |
| Truesdale | 2.60 | 38.0 | 9.7% | 24.7% | 15.4% | 1964 | $981 | 28.9% | 87.4% | 2.1% |
| Lakeside | 3.23 | 26.9 | 13.7% | 35.3% | 7.0% | 1970 | $1,049 | 15.1% | 75.5% | 9.2% |
| Juniata | 2.76 | 43.9 | 8.6% | 16.7% | 8.6% | 1956 | $865 | 30.4% | 90.0% | 5.2% |
| Schaller | 2.38 | 40.8 | 10.9% | 12.0% | 10.6% | 1940 | $749 | 20.3% | 89.6% | 2.6% |
| Galva | 2.50 | 40.6 | 5.5% | 24.9% | 11.3% | 1956 | $710 | 20.4% | 95.9% | 2.6% |
| Rembrandt | 2.23 | 49.9 | 7.4% | 19.3% | 19.0% | 1946 | $869 | 25.5% | 91.4% | 2.5% |
| Linn Grove | 2.25 | 48.0 | 8.7% | 22.5% | 18.9% | 1948 | $928 | 28.1% | 90.9% | 1.5% |
| Sulphur Springs | 2.80 | 46.3 | 6.3% | 13.2% | 9.9% | 1946 | $734 | 28.4% | 94.1% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cabazon, CA · Sullivan, WI · Cumberland, VA · Transfer, PA · Craigsville, VA · Homestead Valley, CA · Cromwell, IN · Marion, MI · Gerrardstown, WV · Gaylord, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alta. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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