Only 8 of the 150 Kansas towns we compare have a lower median rent than Altoona. 87% of Altoona households own their home, against 72% in Kansas’ towns and 73% across U.S. towns. Home values are up 4.1% over the year to September 2026.

$106KZillow home value

	Altoona	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	87%	72%	73%
Median rent	$664 a month	$975 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Altoona$106K

Kansas$246K

+4.1%

value change, 1 year

Full pageAltoona’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 4.1% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 2.2 years of income Rents$664 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commute

A smaller share of working residents work locally in Altoona than in most of Kansas or the rest of the country

Jobs in Altoona fell by 27 from 2013 to 2023, to 5. The town’s mean commuting time stands at 17 minutes, below both Kansas’ towns (20 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Its income of the median household is $49,000. The top destinations are Chanute (18%), Neodesha (12%) and Fredonia (8%).

1%work in town

	Altoona	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	0.7%	15%	8%
Average trip to work	17 minutes	20 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$49,000	$73,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	5.8%	9.1%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Altoona1%

Chanute18%

Neodesha12%

Fredonia8%

Coffeyville4%

31 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Altoona

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageAltoona’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here5 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work1% work in Altoona Commute times17 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 31 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazards

Altoona has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

Flood insurance has paid out on 7 claims in Altoona since 2002. On expected storm and flood damage, Altoona sits above 72% of U.S. communities. One declared disaster, in 2007, has brought federal aid to Altoona households. 43% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 17%.

72risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesDrought

paid flood claims since 2002

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageAltoona’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims7 paid flood claims · Since 2002 Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Altoona Get ready1.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Altoona, expect four seasons and hot summers

In July, afternoons reach 91°; in January, nights fall to 23°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a winter.

7″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–46°

Spring46–68°

Summer67–89°

Fall47–70°

Oct 26

typical first frost

Apr 12

typical last frost

+0.3°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageAltoona’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 23°Rain & snow7″ of snow a winter · 41 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Altoona is

13% of Altoona adults have diabetes. Among 151 Kansas towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Altoona. In Altoona, 39% of adults have high blood pressure, and 15% report frequent physical distress.

	Altoona	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	19%	15%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	39%	34%	35%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	15%	13%	14%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	41%	37%	35%