Buying a Home in Altoona
The metro's entertainment corner — and one of its more affordable growing suburbs.
Altoona anchors the east metro and has an unusual concentration of regional attractions for a city its size: Adventureland, Prairie Meadows, the Outlets of Des Moines, and Bass Pro Shops all sit within a few minutes of each other.
For buyers, it's one of the more affordable growing suburbs, with a steady supply of newer construction and quick access to the east side of Des Moines.
Highlights
- Adventureland Resort and Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino
- The Outlets of Des Moines and the surrounding retail corridor
- Newer subdivisions at prices below the western suburbs
- Chichaqua Valley Trail access and a growing city park system
Altoona by the numbers
Home value, rent & market activity: Zillow Research (September 2026). Income & demographics: U.S. Census ACS (5-year).
Browse current Altoona listings on Zillow →
School choice: who is moving in, and out
Iowa lets parents enroll a child in a public district other than the one they live in (Iowa Code §282.18). The state publishes the counts, which shows something a school rating cannot: which districts families are actively choosing, and which they are leaving.
School district boundaries do not follow city limits. Figures below describe the district, not the city, and the two can differ a great deal: only about half the children living in the city of Urbandale attend Urbandale schools, while Waukee's district reaches well beyond Waukee. Check any specific address before relying on this.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Certified Enrollment by District, 2025-26 school year. The bar shows transfers in and out as shares of all transfers, not the net. Percentages are of certified enrollment — every student living in the district, whichever school they attend. A net loss is not a verdict on a school — large districts lose more simply by being large, and families transfer for childcare, a parent's commute and sibling placement as well as for academics.
Schools
Largely served by the Southeast Polk Community School District, one of the larger districts in the metro. Confirm the boundary by address.
Getting around
East metro along US-65 and I-80; typically 15–20 minutes to downtown Des Moines outside of peak hours.
Metro context
Source: Realtor.com via FRED (metro); Zillow Research (value/rent); U.S. Census ACS (demographics) · Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA · updated September 2026.
Estimate buy vs rent for Altoona →
General guide only — verify school boundaries, taxes, and current prices for any specific address. Not real-estate or financial advice.