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Altoona Area Chamber of Commerce
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Demographics

Population:

  • Estimated current population: 18,000
  • Median HHI = $76,277
  • Median Age = 34(Male); 36(Female)

Proximity to major transportation systems:

  • Located adjacent to Interstate 80, the principal interstate in the U.S.
  • Just two-miles from Interstate 35, one of the major north/south interstates in the U.S.
  •  Highway 65 and Highway 5 Bypass, that links Interstates 35 and 80 on the south and east side of Des Moines is located on the west corporate limits of Altoona.
  • The Des Moines International Airport is only 20 miles from Altoona and the Ankeny Regional Airport is only 10 miles from Altoona
  • The Iowa Interstate Railroad runs through Altoona adjacent to many of the City's industrial areas.

Utilities:

  • Municipal Water - Plant capacity: 3,200,000 gallons; elevated storage 1,450,000 gallons; average consumption (gpd): 1,000,000, peak consumption (gpd): 1,700,000.
  • Sanitary Sewer - The City sanitary sewer plant is a secondary treatment facility with a capacity of 638,000 gpd, and average load capacity of 134,000 gpd, and a peak load of 500,000 gpd. The City is also connected to the Des Moines area-wide sewage treatment plant which more than doubles its sanitary sewer capacity.
  • Natural gas - MidAmerican Energy Company
  • Electric - MidAmerican Energy Company - 3 phase
  • The City also has cable TV and DSL Internet cable

Commercial and Industrial Land Available for Development:

Altoona has over 900 acres of land either under development or available for development. The commercial areas are along the major transportation corridors of Highway 65, 8th Street and Adventureland Drive. The industrial areas are located adjacent to Interstate 80, the Highway 65 Bypass, and 1st Avenue N.

Major Employers

  • Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino
  • Adventureland Park
  • Marzetti Frozen Pasta 
  • Wal-Mart
  • Artistic Manufacturing Corporation
  • Target
  • Kent Feeds
  • Iowa Cold Storage LLC
  • Central Tractor Services
  • Lowes Home Improvement
  • Hy-Vee
  • Ziegler, Inc.
  • The Burger Shed
  • The Outlets of Des Moines
  • Bass Pro Shops

Schools:

The Southeast Polk School District is one of the finest 4-A systems in the State of Iowa and is one of the fastest growing. The district serves four communities and eastern rural Polk County. Located within a 40-mile radius are a number of colleges, universities and technical schools. Some of these are:

  • Drake University
  • Iowa State University
  • Des Moines Area Community College
  • Grandview University
  • Des Moines University (Osteopathic Medicine)
  • Purdue University Global
  • Mercy School of Nursing

Entertainment, Culture and Recreation:

  • Prairie Meadows -- The only horse racing track in the State of Iowa and the largest gaming casino in Iowa. Property includes a beautiful 189 room hotel and has recently added Sports Betting with William Hill Sports Book.
  • Adventureland Theme Park featuring Adventure Bay Water Park & Kokomo Cove  --  This family-oriented amusement park is the largest in Iowa and provides entertainment venues for all ages.
  • Altoona Aquatic Park - great place for the whole family featuring water slides, zero-depth entry and more
  • Bike and walking trails throughout the City that connect to the county-wide trail system, seven general purpose parks and a skate park.
  • The Altoona Campus is a fitness and recreation center that serves the entire community and has a gym, weight room, fitness center, indoor swimming pool and offers numerous fitness and health programs.
  • A modern City Library located in the center of the City for easy access by all citizens and offers an outdoor patio.
  • The Outlets of Des Moines has over 40 high-end stores for anything you may want or need
  • Bass Pro Shops is an outdoor enthusiasts dream destination with everything you need for your outdoor excursions
  • Cinemark Theatre is a one-of-a-kind movie experience
  • Restaurants, restaurants, restaurants - check out our entire listing in the Membership Directory

City Financial Assistance Programs:

The City of Altoona's major program designed to assist businesses locating in the community is the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) program. The TIF Program is a rebate program usually used to extend infrastructure and assist with site development. The basic TIF program is for 5-years, however, each TIF agreement is negotiated on its individual merits.


The City also has a five-year residential tax abatement program designed to encourage residential development.

For more information, please contact the City of Altoona at (515)967-5136 or East Polk Innovation Collaborative at (515)957-0088.

Economic Development...building a better Community!

 

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