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Altoona

#7,282 in Best Places to Buy a House in America
  • B-
    Overall Grade
  • Town in Pennsylvania
  • 132 reviews
B-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    C+
  2. Crime & Safety
    C+
  3. Housing
    B
  4. Nightlife
    A-
  5. Good for Families
    C+
  6. Diversity
    B-
  7. Jobs
    B
  8. Weather
    B+
  9. Cost of Living
    B+
  10. Health & Fitness
    B
  11. Outdoor Activities
    B+
  12. Commute
    A-
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Altoona is a town in Pennsylvania with a population of 44,749. Altoona is in Blair County. Living in Altoona offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Altoona there are a lot of bars, restaurants, and parks. Many families live in Altoona and residents tend to be conservative.
Population
44,749

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$87,600
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$623
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    37%
  • Own
    63%
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Altoona Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
C+
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    126.2
    282.7
  • Murder
    0
    6.1
  • Rape
    74.4
    40.7
  • Robbery
    69.9
    135.5
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    376.4
    500.1
  • Theft
    1,595.8
    2,042.8
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    96.9
    284
Home Security Options for Altoona
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    12%
  • 10-17 years
    10%
  • 18-24 years
    9%
  • 25-34 years
    13%
  • 35-44 years
    13%
  • 45-54 years
    12%
  • 55-64 years
    13%
  • 65+ years
    16%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    6%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    12%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    24%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    47%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    11%
    13%

Working in Altoona

Jobs
B
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$38,592
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Altoona
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Altoona Reviews

132 reviews
All Categories
I thoroughly enjoyed Altoona while I was living there! I felt everything was within driving distance and had a variety of everything! The mall was fantastic and better than other area malls like State College. The availability of different activities is also pretty diverse as well. You can go to Canoe Creek to swim, or go bowling, or stop into the Jaffa when there are events like the circus! The Penn State campus located there is charming and easy to navigate, found with a 2-minute drive off the main road, and yet nature is all over! You have significant facilities located in Altoona as well from the UPMC hospital to an Amtrak/Greyhound station, and three ramps from Interstate 99! Altoona even has a Minor League Baseball stadium! Altoona is steeped in rich history and a plethora of hidden gems throughout. I love it!
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Altoona is an average city with a lot of history - such as the Horseshoe Curve and Railroader's Memorial Museum. We have great restaurants - most of them, though, chains. Many parts of Altoona are considered "ghetto", but many parts are also nice, family oriented, quiet neighborhoods. There are many things to do when visiting Altoona. You can visit our exciting amusement parks, one is home to the world's oldest surviving roller coaster. Altoona also has so much outdoor activities. Visit the skate park, go hiking on one of our hundreds of trails. Don't forget about water sports. Raystown Lake is 30 minutes away and offers SO much! Altoona is not the ideal city, but one can consider this place home very quickly.
I love that my family is in Altoona. My biggest complaint about Altoona is its lack of culture. I must say, though, thankfully this is changing. Altoona's downtown area is really coming around, after having been in a slump for quite a while. More and more locally owned restaurants, bars, breweries, and craft studios are opening every month, and that's exciting!