The population of Mont Alto City is composed of a mixed group of races. There are approximately 93.9% white residents, 0.9% Asian, and 1.8% black residents. Additionally, 0.3% of residents identify as American Indian or Hispanic. Ten percent of the city's residents live below the federal poverty level. This number is even higher when considering the family income, since it must include all members of the household.
The city's poverty rate is a great indicator of how much the average person can afford to pay for their housing. The rent burden shows how much of a household's income is spent on rental housing. While this figure may seem high, it actually reflects a better quality of life than many other cities in Pennsylvania. Mont Alto's rent burden is higher than the state average of 29.8%, while its neighboring communities, like Orrstown and Waynesboro, have lower rates. The city's median gross rent is $779 per month.
The violent crime rate for Mont Alto is lower in the southeast than in the south. However, this figure is sometimes misleading, as many crimes occur in daytime hours. The violent crime rate map will have red areas, but this does not necessarily indicate a dangerous environment for residents. There is a great deal of variation between areas with high violence rates. In Mont Alto City, for example, the violent crime rate in south Mont Alto is higher than in southeast Mont Alto, while the violent crime rate in the central part of the city is lower than in the southeast.