16601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
16601
16602
Opportunity
55 · Top 49%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs87 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs98 · Top 14%
Schools
62 · Top 37%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
66 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 17%
vs41 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 16601 | 16602 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,515 | 26,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,070 | $55,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,490 | $33,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 395/sq mi | 1,795/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $147,200 | $125,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $803 | $869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 67.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.7% | 1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 21.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.7" | 36.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 43.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.13 | 12.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.5% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.5% | 45.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 98.3% | 99.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 16601 — Altoona, PA · 16602 — Altoona, PA · How this is calculated: methodology