Population 6,395 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Balboa
Household size in Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.46 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.49 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.46 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | +0.05 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Balboa run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.59, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the southeast.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 38.1 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.7 | 39.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 39.8 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.1 | 40.4 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.2 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.1, Balboa is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the east.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 10.7% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 10.4% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 10.5% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 10.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.0% of households in Balboa, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Balboa
Renters in Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 33.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 35.4% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 36.4% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 34.3% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Balboa is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (41.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Only two of Spokane's 25 neighborhoods have a lower share of renters.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.3% | 8.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 8.1% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 7.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Balboa: just 3.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has edged up 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1973 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1974 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1979 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Balboa is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,097 | $795 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,136 | $881 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,304 | $1,006 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,018 | $1,413 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$922 | +$617 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Balboa costs $2,018 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $922 a month from 2006–10, an 84% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 24.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other Spokane neighborhood has higher rents.
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 Balboa
Bachelor's degrees in Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.6% | 27.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 28.3% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.6% | 30.1% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.4% | 32.2% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +4.5 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Balboa (40.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.8% | 92.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 92.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 93.4% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 94.5% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Balboa: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national rate rose.
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 Balboa
| Period | Balboa | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 8.3% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 9.2% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.8% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Balboa than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. 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).
Balboa compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balboa | 2.52 | 44.1 | 8.0% | 12.5% | 3.8% | 1970 | $2,018 | 40.4% | 96.5% | 4.1% |
| Five Mile Prairie | 3.22 | 37.1 | 5.9% | 14.5% | 1.7% | 2005 | $2,621 | 48.2% | 96.5% | 1.8% |
| Northwest Spokane | 2.50 | 40.7 | 12.1% | 16.3% | 7.0% | 1958 | $1,494 | 32.9% | 93.9% | 3.9% |
| North Indian Trail | 2.53 | 46.4 | 8.6% | 22.0% | 3.9% | 1992 | $1,680 | 43.8% | 97.7% | 2.2% |
| North Hill | 2.40 | 36.1 | 9.8% | 28.4% | 5.5% | 1946 | $1,363 | 22.7% | 95.2% | 4.0% |
| Nevada-Lidgerwood | 2.44 | 36.0 | 14.2% | 57.6% | 6.2% | 1970 | $1,293 | 17.5% | 91.5% | 4.7% |
| Emerson Garfield | 2.38 | 35.4 | 12.8% | 44.9% | 7.6% | 1940 | $1,253 | 25.7% | 90.4% | 6.0% |
| Whitman | 2.64 | 36.9 | 12.2% | 22.4% | 5.3% | 1952 | $1,432 | 17.8% | 90.0% | 5.1% |
| West Central | 2.09 | 41.5 | 10.3% | 46.2% | 7.3% | 1954 | $1,229 | 30.9% | 89.4% | 8.5% |
| fairwood | 2.52 | 45.5 | 4.2% | 28.9% | 5.2% | 1989 | $1,334 | 44.1% | 97.9% | 4.2% |
| Logan | 2.12 | 28.4 | 9.9% | 65.7% | 8.6% | 1955 | $1,130 | 30.9% | 93.5% | 9.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Wallace Woods, Covington, KY · Valencia, Newhall, CA · Barrington Park, Taylorsville, UT · Downtown Binghamton, Binghamton, NY · Mountain Creek, Pflugerville, TX · West Urbana, Urbana, IL · Cooley Ranch, Colton, CA · North Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA · Pecan Valley, San Antonio, TX · Gardenside-Colony, Lexington, KY
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 Balboa. 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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