Altoona receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Altoona
West Des Moines
Opportunity
80 · Top 8%
vs84 · Top 3%
Growth
78 · Top 7%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
58 · Bottom 9%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs83 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs67 · Top 30%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Altoona | West Des Moines | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,495 | 71,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,114 | $86,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,593 | $57,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,615/sq mi | 1,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $274,600 | $309,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,235 | $1,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.7% | 57.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 54.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 191 | 349 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.3% | -4.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.6" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.69 | 15.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 75.4% | 75.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.0% | 72.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.2% | 43.9% | 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
Altoona
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
West Des Moines
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Altoona
79
Your Score
79
Area Score
West Des Moines
77
Your Score
77
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Altoona, IA · West Des Moines, IA · How this is calculated: methodology