Renting in Altoona, Iowa
Zillow's typical rent in Altoona for September 2026 is $1,583 a month. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020–2024 puts the median gross rent, which includes the utilities a renter pays, at $1,235 (± $104) and renter households at 31.3% (± 3.5 points) of the city's occupied homes.
Rent
Of the other eleven typical rents Zillow published for September 2026 for the cities this site covers, nine are lower and two are higher than Altoona's $1,583 (Zillow Observed Rent Index; what it measures). Zillow's monthly series for Altoona runs without a gap only from January 2026, so there is no September 2025 figure to compare with.
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2020–2024 puts the median gross rent in Altoona at $1,235 (± $104), in 2024 dollars, with the utilities the renter pays (how it differs from Zillow's figure).
By number of bedrooms
| Bedrooms | Median gross rent |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $976 ± $183 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,256 ± $216 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,472 ± $187 |
Renters in Altoona
Of the 8,489 (± 397) occupied homes in Altoona, about 2,659 (± 326) are rented: 31.3%, with a margin of error of 3.5 points.
Median household income in Altoona, in 2024 dollars: renter households $59,086 (± $7,848) and owner households $105,385 (± $7,613).
Of the 2,630 (± 328) renter households for which the survey could compute rent as a share of income, 21.0% (± 8.9 points) paid 50% or more.
Type of building
| Building | Share of rented homes |
|---|---|
| 1-unit buildings: detached houses, and attached ones such as row houses | 21.5% ± 8.9 points · about 573 homes |
| Buildings with 2 to 4 units | 10.2% ± 4.1 points · about 271 homes |
| Buildings with 5 to 19 units | 26.2% ± 9.8 points · about 697 homes |
| Mobile homes, boats, RVs and vans | 2.9% ± 3.5 points · about 76 homes |
Shares of 2,659 (± 326) rented homes.
American Community Survey 2020–2024, 90% margins of error. Left out for Altoona, with the reason (the limits): median gross rent for studios, 4 bedrooms and 5 or more bedrooms (no estimate published); the share paying 30% or more of income in rent (margin of error wider than 10 points); rented homes in buildings with 20 or more units (margin of error wider than 10 points).
Owning the typical home, month by month
The Buy vs Rent calculator's arithmetic for a home at Zillow's typical value for Altoona. Zillow's typical rent there is $1,583 a month (September 2026). It covers apartments as well as houses and condos, so it describes different homes from the typical value priced here.
| Per month | 10% down$32,155; loan $289,395 | 20% down$64,310; loan $257,240 |
|---|---|---|
| Home priceZillow typical value, September 2026 | $321,550 | $321,550 |
| Principal and interest30-year fixed at 7.18%: Freddie Mac's U.S. average, week ending November 5, 2026 | $1,960 | $1,743 |
| Property tax$5,123 a year: Altoona city, Southeast Polk schools, Polk County district, $37.02967 per $1,000, after the 44.5345% rollback, less the homestead credit | $427 | $427 |
| Insurance allowance0.5% of the price a year | $134 | $134 |
| Maintenance allowance1% of the price a year | $268 | $268 |
| Monthly cost to own | $2,789 | $2,571 |
Rounded to the dollar, totals before rounding. The price stands in for the assessed value. The tax takes off the homestead credit, as the calculator does; a buyer now gets the new homestead exemption instead (how this is figured). Not counted: mortgage insurance, closing costs, HOA dues, utilities, equity and changes in value. Altoona's three taxing districts run from $34.10154 to $38.60765 per $1,000 (every district).
Open these numbers in the Buy vs Rent calculator (10% down) →
Altoona rental-housing rules
What the City of Altoona says about rental housing in the city, quoted from its website as of November 5, 2026:
- “Altoona’s housing code contains provisions which apply to all residential properties that are occupied by a non-owner and requires all non-owner occupied residential properties to have a rental certificate.” (Community Development (Housing; Rental Properties))
- “Single-family and duplex rental certificates are issued for thirty-six (36) months.” (Community Development (Housing; Rental Properties))
- “Multiple-family dwelling rental certificates are issued for twenty-four (24) months.” (Community Development (Housing; Rental Properties))
The city's own wording. The Iowa Code's rules apply as well.
More on Altoona
- Buying a home in Altoona
- Altoona property taxes
- School districts: Bondurant-Farrar, Saydel, Southeast Polk
- Iowa renter rules
- Renting in the Des Moines metro
← Renting in Johnston · Renting in Grimes →
Sources
- Zillow Research, Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), cities, all homes plus multifamily, monthly. Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, by place: tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070, B25032 and B25119, via the Census Data API. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), cities, single-family homes and condos, middle tier, monthly. Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- Freddie Mac, via FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (MORTGAGE30US). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Copyright, 2016, Freddie Mac. Reprinted with permission.
- Polk County Auditor, Consolidated Tax Levy Rates For Polk County, Iowa: For 2025 Assessed Valuations, Taxes Payable September 2026 and March 2027 (City Non-Agricultural section). Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- City of Altoona, Community Development (Housing; Rental Properties). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
Definitions, formulas and the Iowa Code: the renting page's sources. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Published figures for the dates named, not a quote for any home or lease. Not financial, legal or real-estate advice.