Population 9,443 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Altoona
Household size in Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.28 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Altoona is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.28, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the west.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.1 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Altoona is 38.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the center. Altoona is younger than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Altoona (11.6%), the same as the national share. Single parents are more common here than in Wisconsin as a whole (9.8%). The single-parent share has risen 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Altoona
Renters in Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.4% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.5% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.4% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.3% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Altoona rent their homes (41.3%), above the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (35.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 13 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Altoona: 6.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Altoona is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $644 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $664 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $804 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,175 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$532 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Altoona pays $1,175 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $532 a month from 2006–10, an 83% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the west.
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 Altoona
Bachelor's degrees in Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.7% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.4% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.5% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Altoona than nationally: 41.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 12.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.7% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.7% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Altoona: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Altoona
| Period | Altoona | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Altoona has been strong: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.6 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Altoona 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona | 2.36 | 38.6 | 11.6% | 41.3% | 6.3% | 1988 | $1,175 | 41.2% | 96.5% | 2.6% |
| Eau Claire | 2.30 | 36.8 | 7.9% | 41.6% | 4.8% | 1976 | $1,085 | 37.8% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Lake Hallie | 2.25 | 40.9 | 6.6% | 36.2% | 3.7% | 1986 | $1,150 | 28.6% | 93.1% | 1.9% |
| Fall Creek | 2.69 | 39.7 | 8.5% | 15.5% | 3.9% | 1984 | $1,193 | 33.0% | 95.6% | 2.6% |
| Hallie | 2.38 | 40.4 | 7.8% | 27.7% | 6.3% | 1986 | $1,074 | 33.2% | 93.8% | 5.4% |
| Lake Wissota | 2.79 | 41.1 | 5.9% | 17.3% | 12.7% | 1989 | $1,257 | 30.8% | 95.0% | 0.2% |
| Ludington | 2.73 | 42.8 | 4.0% | 11.1% | 5.8% | 1981 | $1,147 | 28.4% | 95.1% | 3.8% |
| Chippewa Falls | 2.26 | 43.4 | 6.4% | 29.8% | 5.1% | 1972 | $1,007 | 26.4% | 95.3% | 3.5% |
| Eleva | 2.64 | 41.4 | 8.9% | 18.2% | 6.1% | 1985 | $1,266 | 33.1% | 95.8% | 1.3% |
| Tilden | 2.38 | 48.1 | 4.2% | 15.3% | 2.3% | 1986 | $916 | 28.2% | 95.1% | 3.7% |
| Elk Mound | 2.72 | 38.2 | 12.6% | 26.4% | 4.7% | 1989 | $1,107 | 28.4% | 95.6% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Olivette, MO · Morton, MS · Tunnel Hill, GA · Mount Orab, OH · Bridgeville, DE · Harold, FL · Hamilton, AL · Grosse Pointe, MI · Grayling, MI · Oak Brook, IL
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 Altoona. 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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