Altoona receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West Des Moines
Altoona
Opportunity
84 · Top 3%
vs80 · Top 8%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs78 · Top 7%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 20%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
67 · Top 30%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | West Des Moines | Altoona | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,083 | 21,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,594 | $86,114 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,275 | $42,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,497/sq mi | 1,615/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,000 | $274,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,237 | $1,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 68.7% | 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 | 54.9% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 349 | 191 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.1% | 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 | 6 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.54 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 75.8% | 75.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 72.0% | 70.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.9% | 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
West Des Moines
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, strong wind.
Altoona
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
West Des Moines
77
Your Score
77
Area Score
Altoona
79
Your Score
79
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West Des Moines, IA · Altoona, IA · How this is calculated: methodology