Metro area profile · Pennsylvania
Altoona, PA metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Altoona metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 119,541
- −2.5% since 2020
- Households
- 50,558
- Median household income
- $62,382
- +26.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $161,100
- Jobs located here
- 57,420
- Highest market score
- 73
- Real estate agents and brokers, #26 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Altoona metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Altoona metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 119,541 people live in the Altoona metro area, in 50,558 households. Population estimates show the Altoona metro area declined 2.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Altoona metro area is $62,382 a year, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 26.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Altoona metro area spend the most on groceries (an index of 99, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on pets (61).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Altoona metro area are for real estate agents and brokers (73), real estate businesses (72) and grocery stores (56). The Altoona metro area ranks #26 of 387 scored metro areas for real estate agents and brokers.
The Altoona metro area is made up of one county, Blair County. For its number of households, the Altoona metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (2.6 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (65% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Altoona metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Altoona metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate agents and brokers | 73 | #26 of 387 | 54 | 10.7 | Index only | 280 | 12 |
| Real estate | 72 | #28 of 387 | 75 | 14.8 | Index only | 253 | 40 |
| Grocery stores | 56 | #151 of 387 | 29 | 5.7 | $10.9M | 117 | 17 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 55 | #142 of 373 | 14 | 2.8 | Index only | 151 | 6 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 49 | #170 of 347 | 6 | 1.2 | $5.9M | 144 | 13 |
| Spas and skin care | 48 | #201 of 387 | 31 | 6.1 | $1.4M | 164 | 12 |
| Nail salons | 48 | #204 of 387 | 22 | 4.4 | $2M | 121 | 5 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 46 | #222 of 387 | 34 | 6.7 | $5.1M | 138 | 29 |
| Child care and preschools | 46 | #225 of 387 | 23 | 4.5 | $956K | 95 | 25 |
| Gas stations | 44 | #235 of 387 | 29 | 5.7 | $3.4M | 143 | 45 |
| House cleaning | 43 | #248 of 375 | 7 | 1.4 | $8.2M | 128 | 27 |
| Veterinarians | 42 | #243 of 384 | 10 | 2.0 | $2.8M | 102 | 11 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 40 | #268 of 387 | 113 | 22.4 | $885K | 101 | 46 |
| Electricians | 40 | #273 of 383 | 15 | 3.0 | $9.3M | 78 | 26 |
| Laundromats | 39 | #249 of 364 | 8 | 1.6 | $12.5M | 100 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 39 | #272 of 387 | 107 | 21.2 | $2.9M | 87 | 31 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 39 | #279 of 387 | 52 | 10.3 | $1M | 105 | 39 |
| Convenience stores | 38 | #274 of 387 | 49 | 9.7 | $6.4M | 82 | 14 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 38 | #280 of 387 | 37 | 7.3 | $1.6M | 92 | 72 |
| Tire shops | 35 | #288 of 386 | 18 | 3.6 | $2.3M | 92 | 7 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 35 | #308 of 387 | 252 | 49.8 | $690K | 104 | 84 |
| Gyms | 35 | #319 of 387 | 32 | 6.3 | $1.1M | 84 | 13 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 34 | #296 of 387 | 87 | 17.2 | $1.1M | 90 | 43 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 30 | #324 of 385 | 26 | 5.1 | $2.2M | 75 | 42 |
| Home repair trades | 30 | #350 of 387 | 73 | 14.4 | $1.9M | 79 | 89 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 29 | #351 of 387 | 38 | 7.5 | $3.7M | 77 | 46 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 28 | #340 of 387 | 480 | 94.9 | $362K | 98 | 229 |
| Roofing and gutters | 27 | #351 of 381 | 20 | 4.0 | $7M | 83 | 17 |
| Insurance agencies | 26 | #328 of 387 | 67 | 13.3 | $1.2M | 93 | 52 |
| Barbershops | 26 | #348 of 387 | 22 | 4.4 | $2M | 107 | 8 |
| Car washes and detailing | 26 | #357 of 387 | 28 | 5.5 | $1.5M | 59 | 5 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 25 | #356 of 386 | 19 | 3.8 | $2.8M | 90 | 9 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 25 | #377 of 387 | 70 | 13.8 | $503K | 76 | 25 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 24 | #379 of 387 | 206 | 40.7 | $216K | 102 | 88 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 21 | #354 of 387 | 70 | 13.8 | $2.5M | 81 | 112 |
| Pet stores | 21 | #367 of 382 | 13 | 2.6 | $2.1M | 47 | 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 20 | #377 of 387 | 59 | 11.7 | $2.9M | 71 | 29 |
| Funeral homes | 19 | #366 of 377 | 28 | 5.5 | $296K | 44 | 15 |
| Chiropractors | 19 | #380 of 386 | 29 | 5.7 | $1.9M | 77 | 19 |
| Pet businesses | 18 | #375 of 387 | 65 | 12.9 | $429K | 49 | 24 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 18 | #383 of 387 | 32 | 6.3 | $1.1M | 54 | 12 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 16 | #372 of 387 | 37 | 7.3 | $1.5M | 82 | 119 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 14 | #381 of 386 | 32 | 6.3 | $871K | 34 | 10 |
| Hair salons | 14 | #387 of 387 | 126 | 24.9 | $354K | 82 | 62 |
| Pizza | 10 | #386 of 387 | 74 | 14.6 | $2.3M | 46 | 112 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 9 | #386 of 387 | 520 | 102.9 | $103K | 68 | 221 |
| Physical therapy | 7 | #385 of 386 | 46 | 9.1 | $1.2M | 49 | 32 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 6 | #380 of 381 | 19 | 3.8 | $2.2M | 71 | 22 |
| Auto repair and car care | 6 | #387 of 387 | 237 | 46.9 | $175K | 65 | 97 |
| Auto repair shops | 4 | #387 of 387 | 141 | 27.9 | $294K | 66 | 79 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.8 | Index only | 78 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.8 | $14.3M | 140 | 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.6 | Index only | 494 | 13 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $20.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $26.9M | Too few | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | $100M | Too few | 3 |
Household spending in the Altoona metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $41.4M | $820 | 86 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $99.1M | $1,960 | 76 |
| Food away from home | $173.8M | $3,438 | 84 |
| Groceries | $315M | $6,230 | 99 |
| Personal care products and services | $44.6M | $882 | 88 |
| Child care and other personal services | $22M | $435 | 75 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $35.2M | $696 | 71 |
| Medical and dental services | $53.8M | $1,063 | 83 |
| Pets | $27.9M | $551 | 61 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $100M | $1,978 | 96 |
| Vehicle insurance | $78.3M | $1,549 | 79 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $139.8M | $2,766 | 92 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $57.4M | $1,135 | 80 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $823.2M | $16,282 | 98 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Altoona metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 119,541−2.5% since 2020
- Households
- 50,558
- Median age
- 43.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 72%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 525 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 231
- Median household income
- $62,382+26.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $82,561
- Median home value
- $161,100
- Jobs located here
- 57,420
- Daytime population
- 126,336Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Altoona metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Altoona metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Altoona metro area 1
- Blair County, PA121,277 people
Other markets based in Pennsylvania 12
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area6,272,014 people
- Pittsburgh, PA metro area2,439,940 people
- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area873,603 people
- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area604,155 people
- Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area569,788 people
- Lancaster, PA metro area557,931 people
- York-Hanover, PA metro area462,924 people
- Reading, PA metro area433,015 people
- Erie, PA metro area269,052 people
- State College, PA metro area158,576 people
- Chambersburg, PA metro area157,379 people
- Lebanon, PA metro area144,186 people
Questions
How fast is the Altoona, PA metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Altoona metro area at 119,541 people in 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 50,558 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 26.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Altoona, PA metro area spend?
Households in the Altoona metro area spend about $823.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $315M on groceries and $173.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Altoona metro area runs highest on groceries (an index of 99, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on pets (61).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Altoona, PA metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Altoona metro area, real estate agents and brokers (73), real estate businesses (72) and grocery stores (56) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For real estate agents and brokers, that ranks #26 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Altoona, PA metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Altoona metro area is $62,382, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $161,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (2.6 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (65% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 50 of the 56 business types have a score in the Altoona metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Altoona metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Altoona metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Altoona metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.