Alta’s story
154 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1872Alta is settled
AltaIA
A town of 2,250, settled in 1872. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Population
2,250
+10.8% since 2010
Typical home
$217K
+1.1% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
367
A commuter town
What makes Alta stand out
The 2 things Alta does most differently from other towns.
A growing town
Alta has grown 10.8% since 2010
1,883 people in 2010; 2,250 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Alta’s report card
Now in Alta
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Alta? Is a B+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Alta’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alta. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Alta
Most working residents leave Alta for work: only 8% work in town. The top destinations are Storm Lake (47%), Sioux City (3%) and Cherokee (3%). Half commute less than 7 miles.
8%work in town
Where working residents work
In Alta8%
Storm Lake47%
Sioux City3%
Cherokee3%
Aurelia2%
7 mi
median commute distance
367
jobs based in Alta
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 28% of U.S. communities.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Alta’s public schools outperform 69% of Iowa districts
The public schools Alta’s kids attend outperform 69% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Elementary School | PK–4 | 256 | B− |
| Alta-Aurelia High School | 9–12 | 221 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 2 schools →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Alta has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring36–57°
Summer60–81°
Fall38–60°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
Healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Alta beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Alta | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 9.9% | 7.3% |
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center
4.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
64th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Alta home is worth about $217K
The typical Alta home is worth about $217,000, up 1.1% in a year, 10% below the Iowa typical home.
$217KZillow home value
Typical home value
Alta$217K
Iowa$240K
+1.1%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
0% of Alta is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 682 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alta City Park | — | 11 |
| 2. South Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Alta for work
Where Alta’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
367jobs based in Alta
8%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Alta
5 notable people were born in Alta.
L
Leslie W. QuirkAmerican sports writer · 1882–1960M
Mildred Hope Fisher WoodAmerican special education teacher · 1920–2014R
Ruth HamiltonAmerican politician · 1898–2008About Alta
City in Iowa, USA
Alta is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,087 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1872
- Population
- 2,087
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,490 ft
- ZIP code
- 51002
- Area code
- 712