Editing Altoona, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Altoona
|native_name              = 
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Blount County and Etowah County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Altoona Highlighted 0101660.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Altoona in Blount County and Etowah County, Alabama.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|pushpin_map = Alabama#USA#North America
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = [[United States]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alabama]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Alabama|Counties]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Etowah County, Alabama|Etowah]], [[Blount County, Alabama|Blount]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1             = 
|leader_title2            = 
|leader_name2             = 
|leader_title3            = 
|leader_name3             = 
|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 1908
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.49
|area_land_sq_mi          = 4.48
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|area_water_percent       = 
|area_urban_km2           = 
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 948
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 211.61
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_metro_km2     = 
|population_density_metro_sq_mi   = 
|population_urban                 = 
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|coordinates              = {{coord|34|1|51|N|86|19|5|W|region:US-AL|display=inline}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 942
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 35952
|website                  = 
|area_codes                = [[Area codes 205 and 659|205, 659]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-01660
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2405146<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405146}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 11.63
|area_land_km2 = 11.60
|area_water_km2 = 0.03
|population_density_km2 = 81.70
}}
'''Altoona''' is a town in [[Etowah County, Alabama|Etowah County]] (and a small portion of [[Blount County, Alabama|Blount County]]) in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Alabama]]. It is part of the [[Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 948.

==History==
Altoona had its start in the year 1900 as a mining town, and was named for another [[coal town]], [[Altoona, Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N6ofAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fNYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2388%2C1482525 | title=Altoona once a trade center for all of Sand Mountain | work=Gadsden Times | date=October 8, 1983 | access-date=May 28, 2015 | author=Howard, Steven | pages=A7}}</ref> A post office has been in operation at Altoona since 1900.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=AL&county=Etowah | title=Etowah County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref> It incorporated in 1908.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3382 | title=Altoona }}</ref>

==Geography==
Altoona is located in western Etowah County at {{coord|34|1|45|N|86|19|14|W}}  (34.029259, -86.320687).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The town extends west into Blount County. It is located in the Murphree Valley at the base of Altoona Mountain. Straight Mountain is a small, narrow ridge which runs nearly through the center of the town.  [[Alabama State Route 132]] (Main Street) leads southwest {{convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Oneonta, Alabama|Oneonta]], the Blount County seat, and northeast towards [[Gadsden, Alabama|Gadsden]] via [[U.S. Route 278]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|11.2|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.03|km2|order=flip|3}}, or 0.23%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0101660| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212163131/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0101660| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Altoona town, Alabama| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=September 17, 2013}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1910= 1071
|1920= 1078
|1930= 1098
|1940= 995
|1950= 860
|1960= 744
|1970= 781
|1980= 928
|1990= 960
|2000= 984
|2010= 933
|2020= 948
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="U.S. Decennial Census">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
Altoona first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated town.<ref>{{cite web |title=Supplement for Alabama - Population, Agriculture, Manufactures, Mines and Quarries |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41033935v1-8ch1.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1910}}</ref> See also Altoona precinct/division below.

===2000 Census data===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 984 people, 397 households, and 271 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|258.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 437 housing units at an average density of {{convert|114.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 95.43% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 2.54% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.10% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.91% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.02% from two or more races. 2.54% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 397 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,469, and the median income for a family was $28,750. Males had a median income of $30,250 versus $22,344 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $11,168. About 21.8% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 39.3% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Altoona Precinct/Division (1910-)==
{{US Census population
|1910= 1158
|1920= 1202
|1930= 1316
|1940= 1187
|1950= 1014
|1960= 3661
|1970= 3401
|1980= 3976
|1990= 4390
|2000= 5127
|2010= 5302
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="U.S. Decennial Census">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
Altoona Precinct (Etowah County 32nd Precinct) first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census. In 1960, it was changed to the Altoona Census Division as part of a general reorganization of counties.<ref>{{cite web |title=Number of Inhabitants - Alabama |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/37721510v1p2ch2.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1960}}</ref> The census division only includes the Etowah County portion of the town of Altoona. The Blount County portion is in the Clarence Census Division.<ref>{{cite web |author1=U.S. Census Bureau |title=Alabama: 2010 Census of Population and Housing - Summary Population and Housing Characteristics |url=http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-1-2.pdf |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102125147/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-1-2.pdf |archive-date=November 2, 2019 |date=December 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

{{Coord|display=title|34.029259|-86.320687}}
{{Etowah County, Alabama}}
{{Blount County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Etowah County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Blount County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1908]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in Alabama]]