Anyone here familiar with the Altoona area.  Looks like I'll be moving out there.  I've never been to that area so I haven't clue what I'm in for.  

What are the good housing areas?  Ranges?  Gun stores? Shows? etc.  

I grew up about fifteen miles west.

Just like anywhere else the more money you have to spend on a house will get you into better neighborhoods. Be cautious of areas along 764 or near the Altoona hospital. There are pockets of ghettoish neighborhoods. I haven't spent much time in Tyrone but really never heard anything exceptional about it. Bellwood, Duncansville, Hollidaysburg are GTG.  Generally ten miles out is more rural if that's what you'll be looking for.

Gun shows are non-existent. Gun shops are plentiful but vary in quality. Independence is a home based FFL in Duncansville that stocks a few guns and the owner is great to deal with. I had a few guns shipped into him.

There is at least one gun show at the convention center. I was there t years in a row for a hockey tournament. It wasn't bad to kill some time between games. I think it was in March. If you are into trains the Altoona curve is there.

It looks like S&A Homebuilders is developing several neighborhoods in the area.  Anyone have any experience with them?

I grew up in Duncansville, and still have Family there.  Depending on cash flow there are many great places.  Duncansville and Hollidaysburg are solid middle class areas.   Altoona is iffy in parts.  I would look outside of Altoona and maybe find a farm then you would be able to shoot in the back yard.  

Where are you working?  that might narrow it down some.  

If you were going to Johnstown, I could sell you my house.

I'll be in Altoona, right off of 99.  Looking for good middle class neighborhoods within decent school districts.  I'm ok with a 30 min commute and I can live with a 45 min commute.  

Check out Warriors Mark, PA, between Tyrone and State College.

Great area, but I may be biased. Also look at Sinking Valley (rural area between Altoona and Tyrone). Tyrone is decent outside of the borough limits. Duncansville and Hollidaysburg are also nice areas. Feel free to PM me if you'd like some more info or have specific questions.

Make the hour drive north to Grice Gun Shop in Clearfield.

There are plenty of nice neighborhoods in Altoona, but, most homes are very old and things can change (Demographics) in a couple years depending on area you do look at. I would suggest finding a home on the outskirts of town between Altoona and Bellwood or towards Tyrone as others have mentioned. Hell, any direction that takes you out of town is good to go. I love it in Altoona but if I was going to do this again I would move 5 to 10 miles out.

I love Warriors Mark but now you are talking about a 25 mile commute. Sinking Valley is heaven as far as i'm concerned. I grew up in Riggles Gap and that is where the best shooting range in the area is located, but, there are other nice places to shoot.  If you are on the hunt for a house go with Perry Wellington Reality. I am not up to date on schools and what is good or bad, they just did a re-districting thingy and a lot of parents are pissed off. We have some very good Catholic schools too, but, they are also changing things up a bit as they consolidate facilities. You will need to talk to a few parents to get the latest info on that one.


They just did a property tax reassessment, or, they are just wrapping that up here in Blair County as i type these words. The new tax bills will hit the mail boxes starting in July of next year. You need to be on top of that or take that into consideration if you are going to buy any property with LAND. Those tax bills will be going up.


Good Luck!

Thanks for all of the replies.  I spent last week in the area and got a much better feel for Altoona.  Hopefully, I'll be out there soon.

Sweet!  

I grew up in Grazierville which is a town just outside of Tyrone. Peaceful and generally sparse housing. Average age was about "one foot in grave, the other on a banana peel".. however the neighboring Tyrone has been polluted with riff raff some over the years.
When I lived in Grazierville I usually went to the Tyrone Sportsman, or my back yard where I had a small home built pistol range. Tyrone Sportsman is a 200 yard range, with steel plates at 300. Also have pistol range and skeet IIRC. It is like $15 a year for membership.
If you want to shoot real far on known distance targets the Mifflin County Sportsman is 1.5 hrs drive from Altoona, located near Lewistown. They are up to $70 a year for membership. 1000 rd range, 500 yd range, pistol range, 100 yd 'auxiliary' range. Skeet, trap shooting.

That's a nice way to put it.

I grew up in the midwest, but am moving from the Texas, near the border.  I'll take your "riff raff" any day.

Touché

I'm in Scotch Valley in Hollidaysburg. You will find the outskirts of Altoona will be more desirable than in the city proper. School districts also improve if that's part of the equation for you. Bellwood, Roaring Spring, Martinsburg are also nice areas. As mentioned above, demographics have changed tremendously in the past 25 years here.

I am over on the Huntingdon side of the mountain, everyone has been spot on in their assessments.

Tyrone is pretty nice if you live outside the town itself, there are some really nice gamelands (public hunting ground) around the town as well as state forest nearby - if you are a hunter.

Handful of good sportsmens clubs too.  Hollidaysburg has a pretty nice club setup.

I am more familiar with the Cresson area. My cousin lives in a development there which is fairly nice. 1st poster is correct. The more money you have to spend, the better the place.