Altoona: Housing & Real Estate
Altoona homes sell at a median $114,100 (estimated market value runs 35% higher at $154,189), with median rent $380 (2.2× below Etowah County median $847; 2.6× below Alabama median $1,007). Homeownership rate: 65.4%. That's 1.5× below the Etowah County median ($167,100); 1.8× below the Alabama median ($209,900). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 17.2%. New construction makes up 10.6% of stock. 1 nursing facility on file. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 2.7× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs Alabama 3.3×).
- 25.0 years to break even renting at the median (vs Alabama 15y).
- 4-BR rent is 1.8× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
- Median rent 69% below HUD 2-BR FMR — local market vs federal subsidy benchmark.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $114,100 — 0.6× the Alabama median ($196,300). Median rent $380/month. homeownership rate 65.4% — near the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Affordability · Price To Income Ratio | 2.7× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Rent To Income Pct | 10.6% |
| Affordability · Affordable | Yes |
| Affordability · Interpretation | very affordable |
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $1,024 (vs Alabama $860) |
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $1,155 (vs Alabama $972) |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $1,266 (vs Alabama $1,169) |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $1,583 (vs Alabama $1,490) |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $1,801 (vs Alabama $1,548) |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Home Value Estimate | $154,189 |
| Median Home Value | $114,100 (vs Alabama $196,300) |
| Median Rent | $380 (vs Alabama $1,068) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Tenure & Occupancy
Owner-occupied vs renter-occupied housing units, plus vacancy rates.
| Housing Market · Market temperature | warm |
|---|---|
| Housing Market · Vacancy rate | 17.2% |
| Housing Market · New construction (% of stock) | 10.6% |
| Housing Market · Price Appreciation 2Yr | -17.0% |
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Alabama median) |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Alabama median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Alabama median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 23.6% (vs Alabama 63.5%) |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 512 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 15.18¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 2398172 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $4,993 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0% |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 100% (at Alabama median) |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 96% (vs Alabama 99.8%) |
| Mobile Home Parks Detail · County total | 5 |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · HIFLD / IRS BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Other
| Homeownership Rate | 65.4% (vs Alabama 62.3%) |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1974 |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12