Movers Altoona
Movers in Altoona, Iowa
Local movers serving Altoona — from the historic Olde Town district to the newer subdivisions near Adventureland, Prairie Meadows, and the Outlets. Hourly pricing, real itemized quotes, same crew start to finish.
19,565
Residents
(2020 Census)
+15.5%
Population growth
by 2024
4M+
Annual visitors to
Altoona attractions
5 mi
East of downtown
Des Moines
Altoona is the metro’s tourism capital
Altoona sits about five miles east of Des Moines, just on the other side of the metro’s eastern edge. With about 19,565 residents at the 2020 Census, the city isn’t especially large by metro standards. But Altoona has something none of the other Des Moines suburbs can claim: it’s the destination side of the metro. More than 4 million visitors come to Altoona each year for Adventureland, Prairie Meadows, the Iowa Speedway, the Outlets of Des Moines, and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World — all clustered within a few miles of each other along Adventureland Drive and Bass Pro Drive.
The city was first settled in 1854 by Anthony Yant, who came from Stark County, Ohio with his son Levi. The land was originally surveyed in 1847 and put up for sale by the U.S. government a year later, but it took six years to find buyers. The city was platted in 1868 and incorporated on March 11, 1876. The name “Altoona” comes from Altoona, Pennsylvania — derived from a Latin word for “high,” a reference to the ridge the original townsite sat on. Like many central Iowa cities, Altoona started as a railroad town, with the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad running through.
For most of its history, Altoona was a small farming community. That changed in 1974 when Adventureland opened. Prairie Meadows followed in 1989. The Outlets of Des Moines opened in August 2017 as part of a 230-acre development called The Shoppes at Prairie Crossing. The Iowa Speedway, which sits just outside city limits, hosted its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race in 2024. The constant flow of visitors has shaped Altoona’s growth pattern in ways that are different from any other Des Moines suburb.
Midwest Moving Pros serves all of Altoona. We’re a family-owned local moving company based in Des Moines. The crew that loads in Altoona is the crew that unloads at the new place. The price on the quote is the price on the invoice. No brokers, no consolidated shipments.
Three big draws that shape Altoona
Most cities are shaped by their employers. Altoona is shaped by its visitors. Three major destinations anchor the city’s identity and pull millions of people through its streets every year.
Adventureland Resort
Iowa’s top amusement park, open late April through September. More than 100 rides, shows, and attractions, including the Adventure Bay water park (added in 2010) with a lazy river, wave pool, and the 60-foot Pirates’ Plummet body slide. A family destination that draws visitors from across the Midwest.
Prairie Meadows
The only horse racing track in Iowa and the largest gaming casino in the state. The 85,000-square-foot casino floor has nearly 2,000 slot machines plus table games. The complex includes a 189-room hotel, the Finish Line Show Lounge, and William Hill Sports Book. The Cornhusker Handicap in late June is a $300,000 Grade III thoroughbred race.
Outlets & Bass Pro
The Outlets of Des Moines opened in August 2017 with 60+ outlet stores in a 300,000-square-foot complex on Bass Pro Drive. Right next door, the 145,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is part retail store, part museum, with a 30,000-gallon freshwater aquarium and 3,500+ Iowa artifacts.
Neighborhoods we move across in Altoona
Altoona’s housing stock reflects its history as a small railroad town that grew quickly once Adventureland and Prairie Meadows arrived.
Olde Town Altoona
The original historic downtown, the city’s commercial core since the 1870s. Older homes with tighter doorways and original construction. The city has an Olde Town pocket park mural project to reinforce the downtown identity. Move-day disassembly planning is usually part of the work in this area.
Adventureland corridor
The neighborhoods along Adventureland Drive and the surrounding streets. A mix of motels, hotels, and residential blocks — some of the older homes here served the tourism trade. Newer family subdivisions sit just south and east.
Prairie Meadows & Bass Pro corridor
The newer commercial-and-residential corridor along Bass Pro Drive and Prairie Meadows Drive. Apartment complexes, townhomes, and newer single-family homes. Move-day access is generally good with the wide modern road layout.
South Altoona near 8th Street
The neighborhoods along 8th Street SE/SW and the residential blocks south of US-65. Established subdivisions from the 1990s and 2000s with mature trees and finished basements. A common destination for families moving in from elsewhere in the metro.
North Altoona new builds
Active subdivisions on the north side of the city, many built in the last 10 years. Wider doorways, attached garages, full basements. Newer construction generally loads faster and ends with less furniture disassembly than older homes.
Haines Park area
The neighborhoods around Haines Park (including the new Haines Park Splash Pad) are mostly family-oriented residential streets. Quiet, walkable to the park, with a mix of established 1980s-90s homes and newer infill.
What moves look like in Altoona
A few things about Altoona specifically shape how the work runs.
- 01
Adventureland season affects timing
Adventureland is open from late April through September, and the surrounding streets see heavy visitor traffic on weekends, holidays, and during major event days. If your move date falls on a peak summer weekend, expect Adventureland Drive to be slower than usual. We route around it.
- 02
Race weekends at Iowa Speedway
Major race weekends at the Iowa Speedway can draw 80,000+ attendees and significantly affect traffic on US-65 and I-80. Iowa Speedway sits just outside Altoona city limits but the route in and out cuts through Altoona. Let us know if your move falls on a race weekend so we can plan the truck route.
- 03
Southeast Polk Community School District
Most of Altoona is in the Southeast Polk Community School District, a 4A district serving four communities including Altoona, Pleasant Hill, and rural eastern Polk County. Southeast Polk High School is the main feeder school. Families moving into Altoona for the schools should confirm the specific address falls in the district.
- 04
Older Olde Town construction
Homes in Olde Town and the original 1870s-1900s blocks of Altoona have narrow stairwells, older doorway widths, and original woodwork. We bring disassembly tools to every move — bed frames, table legs, sectional couches, sometimes a dresser top — whatever has to come apart to get through tight spaces.
- 05
Hotel-corridor apartment moves
Altoona has a number of hotels and motels along Adventureland Drive that serve the tourist trade. Some of the surrounding apartments and short-term housing along that corridor see frequent turnover. Move-in policies vary by complex — we confirm parking and elevator access during the walkthrough.
What an Altoona move costs
Our pricing is the same for Altoona as for the rest of the metro. Hourly rate. No trip charges. No stair surcharges. No surge pricing for weekends or end-of-month dates.
What’s in your quote
$160/hr covers crew, truck, fuel, pads, dollies, and basic insurance.
$100 flat for items too heavy for the standard crew (large safes, pianos).
$50 deposit holds your local move date and applies to the invoice.
$300 deposit for long-distance moves.
What you won’t see
No trip charges within the metro.
No stair surcharges or long-carry adders.
No weekend or end-of-month surge pricing.
No price gap between the quote and the final invoice.
Most Altoona moves fall between $370 (small apartment) and $1,810 (4-bedroom home). The written quote you get after the walkthrough is more specific than this range.
Moving in or out of Altoona?
Itemized written quote within 24 hours. Same crew start to finish. The price on the quote matches the price on the invoice.
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