Alta is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, home to about 2,250 people across 1.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51002.
Homes sold for a median of $118 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Alta. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Alta’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Alta well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)99 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)58 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE105 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL394 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Alta; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Alta had 2,087 residents in the 2020 census, up 12% since 2000.
It’s the 153rd largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Buena Vista County grew from 16,975 residents in 1900 to 20,823 in 2020.
Buena Vista County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 9°F. About 33.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Storm Lake, IA weather station (6 miles away).
8,855 jobs at 491 businesses in Buena Vista County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
5 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Alta.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Mental health providers | 1 |
|---|---|
| Physical and occupational therapists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Alta-Aurelia Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Elementary SchoolAlta | Pre-K–4 | 256 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Alta-Aurelia High SchoolAlta | 9–12 | 221 | Public | 1.0 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Alta? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.