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Surrounding Towns

Altoona, PA Surrounding Towns and Neighbors

Bellwood

Formerly known as Bell’s Mills, Bellwood is a largely rural area located outside of Altoona in Antis Township. According to 2000 U.S. Census Bureau figures, Bellwood is home to just over 2,000 residents in 776 households, with 555 families residing within the borough’s boundaries. The average household size was about 2.5 people, and the median income per household was $34,595. The borough’s per capita income was $14,323. Local employers include Link Computer Corporation, Martin Oil Company, Computer Pros, and Creek Biofuels. Bellwood is served by the Bellwood-Antis School District.

Claysburg

Located about 18 miles south of Altoona off of Interstate 99, Claysburg covers a total of 2.6 square miles of land near to the southern borders of Blair and Bedford Counties. Approximately 1,500 people called Claysburg home in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with a total of 616 households. The average household consisted of 2.4 people, and the median household income was $27,625. One claim-to-fame is that the family of former boxing champion Evander Holyfield were from Claysburg, and Evander himself has reportedly visited the area. Claysburg is served by the Claysburg-Kimmel School District.

Duncansville

A small borough in Blair County, Duncansville is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Duncansville is located just 10 miles from Altoona. Its 580 households, of which about 20% include children under the age of 18 years, are served by the Hollidaysburg Area School District. Census Bureau statistics from 2000 report a median household income of $31,532 per year or $16,344 per capita.

Hollidaysburg

Blair County's county seat since 1846, Hollidaysburg offers a mixture of historic and modern housing along quiet tree-lined streets and small developments. In its early history, Hollidaysburg was an important port on the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal and eventually hosted a large switching yard for the Pennsylvania Railroad. James Industries, makers of the well-known Slinky toys, is located in Hollidaysburg. Home to approximately 5,400 people in 2000, Hollidaysburg Borough hosts more than 2,220 households and 1,350 families. More than one-quarter of the families include children under the age of 18 years. The median household income in 2000 was $36,758, with the median family income at $43,209. Located just seven miles from Altoona, Hollidaysburg residents are served by the Hollidaysburg Area School District.

Newry

Newry is a small borough of just 245 residents located approximately 12.5 miles south of Altoona. Settled in the late 1700 by Patrick Cassidy, a native of Newry, Ireland, Newry thrived in the 1800s as a railroad stop between Hollidaysburg and Johnstown, PA. The town's primary link to Altoona is Old Route 220, along which most of the borough's businesses and places of worship are located. Just over 60 families lived in the Borough of Newry at the time of the 2000 census. The median family income at that time was $39,375 per year. School-aged children attend the Hollidaysburg Area School District.

Roaring Spring

Named Spang Mills when it was founded, Roaring Spring was incorporated in 1887. The borough's current name comes from a fountain near the center of town. The fountain, at one time, produced a roaring sound that could be heard for miles. A paper mill that began operations in the borough in 1866 is still in operation at the same location today as part of Appleton Papers. Roaring Spring, itself a quiet, historic town, is surrounded by farmland and is the home of approximately 2,400 residents. There were just over 1,000 households in Roaring Spring in 2000, 30% of which had children under the age of 18. The borough's median household income was $35,329 in 2000, with a per-capita income of just under $18,000 per year. The area is served by the Spring Cove School District.

Tyrone

Located about 15 miles northeast of Altoona and 26 miles southwest of State College, Tyrone grew up as an important distribution center for the Pennsylvania Railroad and was widely known throughout the 1900s for its paper manufacturing industry. When the paper mill was shut down the town's population, which had grown to 8,845 people in1940, declined to just 5,528 at the time of the 2000 census. The borough hosts just over 1,500 families and about 2,400 households, with a median annual income of $29,393. Tyrone's population is served by the Tyrone Area School District, the district that claimed Pennsylvania's AA State Football Championship in 1999.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and Wikipedia.com