Altoona-Blair County is where you'll be greeted by warm and friendly people and picture perfect landscapes. Our outstanding hospitality dates back almost two hundred years to a time when our communities played host to the travelers along the Pennsylvania Railroad. Altoona is the ninth most populous city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem and Lancaster.
Having grown around the railroad industry, the city is currently working to recover against industrial decline and urban decentralization over the past several decades. The city is home to the Altoona Curve baseball team of the Double A Eastern League, which is the Double A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It also houses the 75+ year-old Altoona Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Teresa Cheung. Prominent landmarks include the Horeshoe Curve, the Railroaders Memorial Museum, the Mishler Theatre, the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Jaffa Mosque.
Altoona is also the home of the Sheetz headquarters. Sheetz is one of the largest convenience store and gas station chains in the country, with stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Because of this, many Sheetz stores are located in and around Altoona.
Altoona-Blair County is largely urban, with a wide variety of recreational areas. The largest of these, Canoe Creek State Park, is a state run lake and picnicking area with provisions for swimming and non-powered boating. Nearby, in Entriken, Pennsylvania, is Lake Raystown Resort & Lodging. Lake Raystown is an hour and forty five minutes from Altoona. In Entriken is a water park and Seven Points Marina Cruises. State Game Lands comprise approximately 48.1 square miles in Blair County and offer hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking. The Altoona-Blair County area contains two rivers. The Frankstown of the Juniata River and the Little Juniata River provide excellent fishing along their major tributaries.
Blue Knob Ski and Country Club is located in nearby Claysburg, Pennsylvania. An all season delight, the natural beauty of the Southern Alleghenies provides the setting. Blue Knob has the highest vertical in Pennsylvania, 1,052 feet.
The Altoona-Blair county area also provides four major 18-hole golf courses and one 9-hole course. The natural beauty of our Western Pennsylvanian landscapes provide a beautiful setting for the courses.
Valley View Blair County Park is a forty-five acre closed in park located in Altoona off Route 220 North, on Valley View Boulevard behind the Valley View Nursing Home. Its facilities include picnic areas, a small amphitheater in the woods, a play area for the kids, and much more. The park is open from 8AM until dusk everyday. Altoona-Blair County has a wide variety of shopping opportunities. Shoppers come from miles around to take advantage of this region's premier specialty shops, fine department stores, and major retail malls.
Just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Altoona, is Duncansville, Pennsylvania. In Duncansville, see where our ancestors made an antique mecca. Because of its location at the foot of the mountain, treasures were left behind here when loads were too heavy.
Today, Duncansville is the "Antique Capital" with a 60,000 square foot antique gallery and flea market and its many smaller antique dealers. The Altoona Area has grown into the largest retail and hospitality complex between Harrisburg to the east and Pittsburgh to the west.
Our area has something to entertain, inspire, and amuse everyone! Whether your interests are historical, cultural, educational, recreational, or shopping, you'll find what you want here. We've got it all!
Housing Cost
Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $77,934
Mean prices in 2007: All housing units: $90,645; Detached houses: $89,328; Townhouses or other attached units: $101,324; In 2-unit structures: $61,443; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $243,225; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $19,139; Mobile homes: $12,222.
Demographics
Population in July 2008: 46,144. Altoona covers 9.77 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 1,170 feet above sea level.
Zip codes: 16601, 16602,16603 - Area code: 814
Weather
Altoona, PA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 81.90 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 18.20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 17 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Altoona is 42.69 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 4.41 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
