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Alta, IA
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
2,250
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
38.8
years ∙ half population younger than 38.8, half older
Diversity Index
63.2%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
24.6%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Alta is a city within Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC42.671677° N, 95.304513° W
DMS42° 40′ 18.04″ N, 95° 18′ 16.25″ W
Population Density & area
2,083/sq mi
(806.5/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
53.7%
male
Male
53.7%
Female
46.3%
males per 100 females
Alta
115.9
Buena Vista County
103.3
Iowa
100.6
Nativity
24.6%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Alta
24.6%
Buena Vista County
21.3%
Iowa
5.9%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
38.8
years ∙ half population younger than 38.8, half older
Dependency ratio
73.6
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Alta
73.6
Buena Vista County
75
Iowa
69.6
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 30% | 26.6% | 22.9% |
| Working age (18-64) | 57.6% | 57.1% | 59% |
| Senior (65+) | 12.4% | 16.3% | 18.1% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 73.6 | 75 | 69.6 |
| Child dependency ratio | 52 | 46.5 | 38.8 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 21.6 | 28.4 | 30.7 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
63.2%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Alta
63.2%
Buena Vista County
63.1%
Iowa
31.4%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Alta population
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.4% | 29.4% | 7.3% |
| Mexican | 10.8% | 21.8% | 5% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Cuban | 0% | 2.2% | 0.1% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 5.4% | 5.3% | 1.8% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 83.6% | 70.6% | 92.7% |
| One race | 82.1% | 68.2% | 89.2% |
| White | 56% | 52.1% | 82.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.6% | 3.3% | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 13.4% | 9.5% | 2.5% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 4.1% | 2.9% | 0.2% |
| Some Other Race | 0% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 1.5% | 2.4% | 3.5% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
62.7%
family
Family
62.7%
Non family
37.3%
% family households
Alta
62.7%
Buena Vista County
63.5%
Iowa
61.6%
Average household size
2.82
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Alta population
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 794 | 7,546 | 1,315,707 |
| Average houshold size | 2.82 | 2.62 | 2.36 |
| Family households | 498 | 4,793 | 809,836 |
| Average family size | 3.31 | 3.34 | 2.98 |
| Married couple family | 358 | 3,693 | 635,347 |
| Other families | 140 | 1,100 | 174,489 |
| Male householder | 26 | 231 | 56,457 |
| Female householder | 114 | 869 | 118,032 |
| Non-family households | 296 | 2,753 | 505,871 |
| One-person households | 200 | 1,999 | 406,436 |
| Male householder | 116 | 966 | 193,582 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 21 | 247 | 58,028 |
| Female householder | 84 | 1,033 | 212,854 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 52 | 481 | 111,645 |
| Other living arrangements | 96 | 754 | 99,435 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
909
housing units
Alta
909
Buena Vista County
8,293
Iowa
1,437,699
Occupancy status
87.3%
occupied
Occupied
87.3%
Vacant
12.7%
vacancy rate
Alta
12.7%
Buena Vista County
9%
Iowa
8.5%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
77.1%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1963
Half of houses were built before 1963, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.4 | 5.7 | 5.9 |
| 1–3 rooms | 13.6% | 15.9% | 11.8% |
| 4–6 rooms | 55.2% | 46.1% | 47.4% |
| 7+ rooms | 31.3% | 37.9% | 40.7% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.7% |
| 1 bedroom | 5.9% | 11.1% | 9.2% |
| 2 bedrooms | 33.3% | 28.3% | 27% |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.5% | 36.3% | 37.3% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 18.9% | 22% | 24.7% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1963 | 1964 | 1972 |
| Total housing units | 909 | 8,293 | 1,437,699 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
78.3%
owners
Renter-occupied
21.7%
Owner-occupied
78.3%
homeownership rate
Alta
78.3%
Buena Vista County
73.2%
Iowa
71.7%
Average household size
2.94
Owner-occupied
2.37
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Alta
2.94
Buena Vista County
2.85
Iowa
2.5
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 794 | 7,546 | 1,315,707 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 25.8% | 22.6% | 24.3% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 48% | 41.3% | 38.7% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 13.4% | 16.1% | 16.4% |
| 1999 or earlier | 12.8% | 20.1% | 20.7% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 96.3% | 96.1% | 98.4% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 2.8% | 2% | 1.1% |
| 1.51 or more | 0.9% | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 0.9% | 1.7% | 5.4% |
| 1 vehicle | 33.2% | 32.4% | 30.5% |
| 2 vehicles | 31.5% | 33.9% | 37.8% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 34.4% | 32% | 26.3% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 60.7% | 66.4% | 72.8% |
| Electricity | 38.7% | 31.6% | 24.4% |
| Solar | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| All other fuels | 0.3% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| No fuel used | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 0% | 0.3% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$146,600
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
11.1%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $146,600 | $159,500 | $208,000 |
| Under $100,000 | 27.5% | 22.7% | 17.8% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 46.4% | 39.7% | 30% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 16.4% | 19.4% | 23.1% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 6.6% | 13.8% | 21.3% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 3.2% | 4.3% | 6.8% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 0% | 1.1% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 49.2% | 52.2% | 59.4% |
| Without a mortgage | 50.8% | 47.8% | 40.6% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $1,167 | $1,331 | $1,533 |
| Without a mortgage | $424 | $552 | $616 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $894 | $894 | $972 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
21.2%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Alta
21.2%
Buena Vista County
22.2%
Iowa
31.4%
Adults without a high school diploma
11.8%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Alta
11.8%
Buena Vista County
18.6%
Iowa
6.7%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
659
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
41%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 659 | 5,599 | 784,322 |
| Nursery / preschool | 8.8% | 9.4% | 6.2% |
| K–12 | 80.6% | 70% | 68.4% |
| Kindergarten | 7.7% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 21.2% | 18.8% | 20.3% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 25.3% | 19.9% | 21.3% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 26.3% | 25.7% | 21.6% |
| College or graduate school | 10.6% | 20.6% | 25.4% |
| College, undergraduate | 8.8% | 18.9% | 20.8% |
| Graduate, professional school | 1.8% | 1.7% | 4.6% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 41% | 40.6% | 42.3% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 93.5% | 78.5% | 84.4% |
| Private school | 6.5% | 21.5% | 15.6% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
1,459
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 1,459 | 13,051 | 2,154,149 |
| Less than 9th grade | 5.4% | 11.4% | 2.7% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 6.4% | 7.2% | 4% |
| High school diploma or GED | 38.8% | 32.7% | 30% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.6% | 15.2% | 19.7% |
| Associate's degree | 10.6% | 11.2% | 12.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 22.2% | 31.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.5% | 14.7% | 20.9% |
| Graduate or professional | 4.7% | 7.5% | 10.5% |
| High School or higher | 88.2% | 81.3% | 93.3% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$35,955
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
2.3%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Alta | Buena Vista County | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $35,955 | $47,823 | $51,106 |
| Less than high school graduate | $36,029 | $41,908 | $35,996 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $29,308 | $39,403 | $41,528 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $37,500 | $46,094 | $47,635 |
| Bachelor's degree | $56,250 | $58,685 | $62,744 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $71,354 | $72,456 | $80,022 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 14% | 12.1% | 21.5% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 6.5% | 5.8% | 12.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 12.4% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.3% | 2.4% | 3.8% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
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