The Town FilesAlta, Iowa
City in Buena Vista County · population 2,087 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $146,600
- Household income
- $65,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 38.8
Alta is a city of 2,087 people in Buena Vista County, Iowa. The median home is worth $146,600, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Iowa towns, more upscale than 84% of Iowa towns, better for young professionals than 81% of Iowa towns.
How Alta ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alta is worth $146,600, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $65,833, which is more affordable than 56% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $894 a month. 78.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alta | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $146,600 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $894 | $820 |
| Median household income | $65,833 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.3% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Alta
| People | Alta | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 30.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 13.9 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 88.5% |
Weather in Alta
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.5 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alta since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 7, 1984 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 3, 2023.
Severe weather in Buena Vista County since 1996
Buena Vista County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Buena Vista County
Buena Vista County had 10,683 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,893 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Alta itself the ACS puts it at 18.8%.
Public schools in Alta
2 public schools with 466 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Elementary School | PK-4 | 267 | 14.8 |
| Alta-Aurelia High School | 9-12 | 199 | 11.7 |
Towns near Alta
- Storm Lake, IA5.8 mi · 11,269 people · home $172,200
- Aurelia, IA7.3 mi · 968 people · home $139,900
- Lakeside, IA7.5 mi · 700 people · home $246,400
- Schaller, IA12.1 mi · 729 people · home $71,500
- Cherokee, IA13.7 mi · 5,199 people · home $136,700
- Newell, IA15.9 mi · 906 people · home $122,600
- Early, IA16.5 mi · 587 people · home $90,300
- Sioux Rapids, IA17.1 mi · 748 people · home $88,700
Alta questions
Is Alta, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alta scores better for retirees than 49% of Iowa towns and quieter than 27%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Alta?
The median owner-occupied home in Alta is valued at $146,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,833, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $894 a month.
What is the weather like in Alta?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 36.5 inches of snow.
Does Alta get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 7, 1984. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)