Altoona, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Altoona is a city in Polk County
, Iowa
, United States
and is a part of the Des Moines
–West Des Moines
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 15,583 at the 2010 census; a special census taken in August 2005 counted 13,301 residents.
Altoona is home of Adventureland
, an amusement park
, Prairie Meadows
, a horse racing
track and casino
, and a Bass Pro Shops
retail store, the first one in central Iowa.
word for "high," altus, after surveyor Julian B. Bausman discovered that Altoona was the highest point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad between Des Moines
and Keokuk
.
By the turn of the 20th century, Altoona could almost be classified as a coal camp. United Mine Workers of America Local 407 was organized in Altoona in 1897, and by 1902, it had 61 members. This is close to 20% of the population at the time.
in decimal form are 41.650089, −93.472546.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²), all land.
was 1,835.4 people per square mile (708.2/km²). There were 3,959 housing units at an average density of 557.3 per square mile (215.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.11% White, 0.92% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.41% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.
There were 3,850 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,162, and the median income for a family was $58,306. Males had a median income of $36,030 versus $28,205 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,336. About 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line
, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
, Mitchellville
, and parts of Pleasant Hill
and Des Moines
) is a part of the Southeast Polk Community School District
, and its students attend Southeast Polk High School. The town is home to four of the eight elementary schools in the district: Altoona, Centennial, Clay, and Willowbrook. The current Altoona Elementary building also served as the town's high school until it joined the Southeast Polk consolidation in 1962.
Polk County, Iowa
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 430,640 in the 2010 census, an increase from 374,601 in the 2000 census. The county seat is Des Moines, which is also the capital city of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is a part of the Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
–West Des Moines
West Des Moines, Iowa
West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 46,403; a special census taken in the spring of 2005 counted 51,744 residents and the United States Census Bureau estimated that 53,889 residents lived there in...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Des Moines metropolitan area
The Des Moines metropolitan area, officially known as the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area , consists of five counties in central Iowa, United States: Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, and Guthrie...
. The population was 15,583 at the 2010 census; a special census taken in August 2005 counted 13,301 residents.
Altoona is home of Adventureland
Adventureland (Iowa)
Adventureland is a family-owned amusement park in Altoona, Iowa . It features over 100 rides, shows and attractions.-The History:...
, an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, Prairie Meadows
Prairie Meadows
Prairie Meadows is a Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racetrack and racino in Altoona, Iowa.-History and information:In 1984, Prairie Meadows received a license from the Iowa Racing and Gaming commission to operate a horse racing facility after parimutuel betting was legalized by the state the...
, a horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track and casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
, and a Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...
retail store, the first one in central Iowa.
History
Altoona incorporated as a city on March 11, 1876. It is named for the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word for "high," altus, after surveyor Julian B. Bausman discovered that Altoona was the highest point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad between Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
and Keokuk
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
.
By the turn of the 20th century, Altoona could almost be classified as a coal camp. United Mine Workers of America Local 407 was organized in Altoona in 1897, and by 1902, it had 61 members. This is close to 20% of the population at the time.
Geography
Altoona's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.650089, −93.472546.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,345 people, 3,850 households, and 2,895 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,835.4 people per square mile (708.2/km²). There were 3,959 housing units at an average density of 557.3 per square mile (215.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.11% White, 0.92% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.41% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.
There were 3,850 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,162, and the median income for a family was $58,306. Males had a median income of $36,030 versus $28,205 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,336. About 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Altoona (along with nearby RunnellsRunnells, Iowa
Runnells is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 352 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Mitchellville
Mitchellville, Iowa
Mitchellville is a city in Polk and Jasper counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,715 at the 2000 census.The Polk County portion of Mitchellville is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jasper County portion is part of the Newton...
, and parts of Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Pleasant Hill is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,070 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. The waterpark White Water University is located in Pleasant Hill, as is part of Festival Park...
and Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
) is a part of the Southeast Polk Community School District
Southeast Polk Community School District
Southeast Polk Community School District is centered just to the east of Des Moines, in southeastern Polk County. The high school and junior high are located in Pleasant Hill, Iowa. The district includes Runnells, Altoona, Mitchellville, parts of Pleasant Hill, Bondurant and Des Moines, and the...
, and its students attend Southeast Polk High School. The town is home to four of the eight elementary schools in the district: Altoona, Centennial, Clay, and Willowbrook. The current Altoona Elementary building also served as the town's high school until it joined the Southeast Polk consolidation in 1962.
Notable people
- John HouboltJohn HouboltJohn Cornelius Houbolt is a retired aerospace engineer. He is generally credited with having effectively promoted the lunar mission mode called Lunar Orbit Rendezvous or LOR. This flight path was first endorsed by Wernher von Braun in June 1961 and was chosen for Apollo program in early 1962...
(born 1919) Aerospace engineer promoted the lunar mission mode called LORLunar orbit rendezvousLunar orbit rendezvous is a key concept for human landing on the Moon and returning to Earth.In a LOR mission a main spacecraft and a smaller lunar module travel together into lunar orbit. The lunar module then independently descends to the lunar surface. After completion of the mission there, a...
for going to the moon and back - Geri HuserGeri HuserGeri D. Huser is the Iowa State Representative from the 42nd District. She has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 1996...
(born 1963) DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Iowa House representativeIowa House of RepresentativesThe Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency... - Kyle OrtonKyle OrtonKyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, (born 1982) NFL quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Joy RobinsonJoy RobinsonJoy Robinson is a beauty queen who has held the title Miss Iowa USA and competed at Miss USA.Robinson, who hails from Altoona, Iowa was crowned Miss Iowa USA 2005 in November 2004...
(born 1980) Miss Iowa USAMiss Iowa USAThe Miss Iowa USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Iowa in the Miss USA pageant.While Iowa has not been greatly successful in the past four decades, they were one of the most consistent states in the first decade of the pageant's existence...
beauty queen - Neal Edward Smith, (born 1920) former US RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Iowa and an author - Jamie SolingerJamie SolingerJamie Patterson is a beauty queen and model from Altoona who became the first and only woman from Iowa to capture the Miss Teen USA crown and placed third runner-up to Mrs America 2005.-Miss Teen USA:...
, won the Miss Teen USAMiss Teen USAMiss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
beauty pageant for 1992
External links
- Official Altoona City Website
- Altoona Chamber of Commerce
- Southeast Polk Community School District
- Altoona Public Library Website
- City Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Altoona