Population 39,995 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 85251
Household size in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.99 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.06 | 2.91 | 2.84 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.99 | 2.91 | 2.82 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.88 | 2.80 | 2.70 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 85251 are small: just 1.88 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 1.99, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 237 Arizona ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 13 have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.0 | 35.6 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.2 | 36.9 | 38.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.4 | 39.1 | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.6 | +3.5 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in ZIP 85251 are younger than 40.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has edged down from 41.0 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 14.0% | 13.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in ZIP 85251, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. ZIP 85251 has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Arizona ZIP codes.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 85251
Renters in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7% | 32.8% | 32.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.2% | 37.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.6% | 33.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +0.6 pts | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in ZIP 85251: 50.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (40.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 7.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.6% | 14.1% | 15.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 14.1% | 15.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 10.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −5.6 pts | −5.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in ZIP 85251: 15.1% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 5.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1988 | 1987 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1989 | 1988 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1990 | 1989 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in ZIP 85251 was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the Phoenix area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1993. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,089 | $1,123 | $1,043 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,168 | $1,158 | $1,078 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,326 | $1,342 | $1,227 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,974 | $1,927 | $1,736 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$886 | +$804 | +$694 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 85251 costs $1,974 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $886 a month since 2006–10, up 81%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 85251
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5% | 27.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.0% | 28.5% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.6% | 31.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.1% | 35.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.6 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
ZIP 85251 is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (61.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 16.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 237 Arizona ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.7% | 85.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 86.0% | 85.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 87.2% | 86.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.0% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in ZIP 85251: 96.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 85251
| Period | ZIP 85251 | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 5.3% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in ZIP 85251 than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 85251 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 85251 | 1.88 | 40.4 | 5.7% | 50.6% | 15.1% | 1981 | $1,974 | 61.1% | 96.0% | 3.9% |
| ZIP 85257 | 2.00 | 40.2 | 6.6% | 41.1% | 11.8% | 1974 | $1,953 | 48.7% | 94.9% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 85250 | 1.87 | 48.6 | 6.8% | 24.2% | 16.3% | 1976 | $2,129 | 58.3% | 98.6% | 2.2% |
| ZIP 85018 | 2.19 | 41.4 | 8.2% | 42.0% | 10.6% | 1969 | $1,771 | 60.0% | 94.4% | 3.1% |
| ZIP 85256 | 3.30 | 33.8 | 32.8% | 16.9% | 13.8% | 1990 | $1,568 | 14.1% | 79.2% | 15.3% |
| ZIP 85253 | 2.41 | 51.5 | 8.5% | 14.6% | 14.8% | 1987 | $2,255 | 72.1% | 98.7% | 2.1% |
| ZIP 85281 | 2.17 | 26.7 | 6.1% | 76.9% | 14.7% | 1993 | $1,698 | 55.9% | 93.6% | 7.3% |
| ZIP 85008 | 2.72 | 31.2 | 17.1% | 69.0% | 8.8% | 1976 | $1,369 | 23.7% | 72.6% | 4.9% |
| ZIP 85258 | 2.01 | 54.4 | 5.5% | 25.8% | 16.9% | 1984 | $2,284 | 67.8% | 98.8% | 2.9% |
| ZIP 85201 | 2.53 | 34.4 | 15.3% | 58.7% | 9.1% | 1980 | $1,426 | 27.3% | 86.7% | 4.9% |
| ZIP 85016 | 2.03 | 38.1 | 10.7% | 49.0% | 11.0% | 1979 | $1,735 | 53.2% | 92.8% | 2.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 90808, CA · 90804, CA · 01702, MA · 02128, MA · 02139, MA · 98584, WA · 85233, AZ · 30060, GA · 77049, TX · 78589, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 85251. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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