Altoona, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Altoona, IA Summary

Cost of living in Altoona research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Altoona is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Altoona is 97, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Altoona is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Altoona ranks as the #62 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Altoona ranks as the #2,245 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Altoona is $324,324.

  • The median income in Altoona is $87,123.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
97
Altoona's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Altoona, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Altoona has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Altoona has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Altoona ranks as #62 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Altoona ranks as the #23 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Altoona, check out:

62 out of 85
In Iowa
2,245 out of 6,489
In America

Altoona Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Altoona. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Altoona is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Altoona is 100.

  • The Health index in Altoona is 93.

  • The Housing index in Altoona is 107.

  • The Transportation index in Altoona is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Altoona is 87.

Living Expense Altoona Iowa National Average
Overall 97 90 100
Services 96 96 100
Groceries 100 97 100
Health 93 99 100
Housing 107 75 100
Transportation 92 99 100
Utilities 87 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Altoona Cost of Living Vs. IA

Altoona, IA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Altoona is $324,324.

  • The Median Rent in Altoona is $1,203.

  • The Median Income in Altoona is $87,123.

  • The Home Value To Income in Altoona is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Altoona is 0.17x.

Statistic Altoona Iowa United States
Median Home Value $324,324 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $1,203 $949 $1,348
Median Income $87,123 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.16x 0.21x
$324,324
Median Home Value
$1,203
Median Rent
$87,123
Median Income

Altoona, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Altoona Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Altoona Iowa
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $11.17 $12.13
Bowling $20.87 $18
Haircut $20.63 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.0 $45.56

Detailed Altoona Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Altoona Iowa
Ground Beef $6.36 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.82 $4.67
Potatoes $4.81 $4.93
Pizza $11.84 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Altoona Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Altoona Iowa
Optometrist $125.17 $125.68
Doctor $129.05 $135.78
Dentist $96.6 $113.29

Detailed Altoona Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Altoona Iowa
Gasoline $3.19 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.49 $59.92

Detailed Altoona Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Altoona Iowa
All Electricity $154.71 $193.99
Phone $186.87 $192.25

Altoona SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
6
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Altoona

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Altoona. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x Altoona.

  • Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Altoona.

  • West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Altoona.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Altoona
Des Moines, IA 212,464 89 0.9x
Ankeny, IA 70,542 101 1.0x
West Des Moines, IA 69,893 102 1.1x
Urbandale, IA 46,026 103 1.1x
Johnston, IA 24,196 109 1.1x
Clive, IA 18,776 109 1.1x
Grimes, IA 15,810 99 1.0x
Norwalk, IA 13,610 99 1.0x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,796 102 1.1x
Bondurant, IA 8,061 101 1.0x

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