50322 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50322
50009
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs80 · Top 8%
Growth
83 · Top 3%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs72 · Top 24%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 39%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 50322 | 50009 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,931 | 22,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,085 | $88,447 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,565 | $44,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,950/sq mi | 820/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $276,200 | $278,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,186 | $1,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 70.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.1% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 597 | 191 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.8 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 43.9% | 7.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 36.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.13 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 70.6% | 75.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 74.4% | 70.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.3% | 43.2% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
50322
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
50009
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 50322 — Urbandale, IA · 50009 — Altoona, IA · How this is calculated: methodology