Retiring in Altoona, PA

Retirement city profile: climate, cost of living, healthcare, safety and more

80°/21°

Climate (Summer/Winter)

$144,576

Housing (Typical Value)

334.7

Safety (Violent Crime/100,000)

3 of 5

Healthcare (Hospital Rating)

Is Altoona Right for Your Retirement?

With a reported population of 43,508, Altoona offers a smaller-city setting for retirement planning. This profile brings its climate, housing, reported crime, healthcare access, walkability and natural hazard exposure into one view so you can evaluate the tradeoffs.

Potential Strengths

Mild summers
Lower housing costs
Moderate city size
Low tornado risk
Low hurricane risk
Low wildfire risk
Low earthquake risk
Low ice storms risk

Potential Tradeoffs

No benchmark-based tradeoffs flagged

Potential advantages. The average June through August high is 80°F. The typical home value is $144,576, 61% below the $371,774 US median. Median gross rent is $789 per month, 44% below the $1,400 per month US median. FEMA and NOAA assign lower risk designations to tornado, hurricane, wildfire, earthquake and ice storms.

Potential tradeoffs. The current benchmark screen did not flag a major tradeoff. Review the detailed values below against your own preferences, including factors this profile does not measure.

RetireHere is designed to turn these facts into a personal comparison. Set your own priorities for climate, housing, safety, healthcare and other factors, then compare Altoona with other cities using the same criteria.

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Climate

Summer high (Jun-Aug avg)80°F

Winter low (Dec-Feb avg)21°F

Annual snowfall38.1"

Annual precipitation44.7"

Housing & Cost of Living

Typical home value (ZHVI)$144,57661% below the $371,774 US median

Median gross rent$789/mo44% below the $1,400/mo US median

Safety (Reported Crime)

Violent crime rate334.7 /100,000near the US median of 359.1 /100,000

Property crime rate1871.6 /100,000near the US median of 1760.1 /100,000

Motor vehicle theft rate115.5 /100,000

Healthcare Access

Nearest hospitalUpmc Altoona (0.8 mi)

Hospital quality★★★☆☆ (3 of 5)

Primary care accessStrong (1,295 residents/physician)

Walkability

EPA Walkability Index10.0/20 (Below Average)

Population & City Size

Population43,508Classified as a smaller city

Elevation1,163 ft

Natural Disaster Risk

Riverine floodingRelatively Moderate

Coastal floodingN/A

TornadoRelatively Low

HurricaneRelatively Low

WildfireVery Low

EarthquakeRelatively Low

Ice stormsVery Low

TsunamiN/A

Sources & Freshness

Crime: FBI UCR/NIBRS · Climate: NOAA Climate Normals · Natural disaster risk: FEMA National Risk Index & NOAA · Hospital location & distance: HIFLD · Hospital quality rating: CMS Hospital Compare · Primary care access: HRSA county-level provider data · Home value: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · Rent: Census ACS place-level data · Population & elevation: US Census Bureau · Walkability: EPA National Walkability Index.
National median/average figures used for comparison (home value, rent, crime, precipitation) are recalculated annually from the same source datasets above.
Data last refreshed: August 2026.
Figures are comparative indicators and may not reflect neighborhood-level conditions. Confirm current housing, healthcare and hazard information with the cited sources before making a relocation decision.

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