1062 10th Ave NW

Altoona is where Iowa comes to have a good time, and it turns out it’s also a pretty great place to call home. Sitting just east of Des Moines off I-80, this Polk County city packs in more activity than you’d expect from a town of roughly 20,000 people. Adventureland amusement park anchors the northwest corner of the city, while Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino sits just steps away. When the excitement settles down, residents can spread out across the city’s well-kept public parks, which offer plenty of room to breathe and enjoy the outdoors. Downtown Des Moines is less than 20 minutes by car, giving easy access to the metro’s dining, arts, and employment hubs.

The rental market in Altoona offers solid variety, from garden-style apartment communities and townhomes to newer builds that reflect the city’s steady growth. The city takes its name from the Latin word for “high,” altus, a nod to the elevated terrain surveyor Julian B. Bausman noticed when he laid out the city in 1868.