Howard receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Howard
Altoona
Opportunity
85 · Top 3%
vs80 · Top 8%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs78 · Top 7%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 4%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 26%
vs98 · Top 13%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Howard | Altoona | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,087 | 21,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,477 | $86,114 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,608 | $42,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,139/sq mi | 1,615/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,700 | $274,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,102 | $1,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 68.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 189 | 191 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.2% | 7.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 36.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Howard
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Altoona
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Howard, WI · Altoona, IA · How this is calculated: methodology