Population 13,854 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ballard
Household size in Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.87 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.97 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.01 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.94 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Ballard are small: just 1.94 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 crept up from 1.87, even as the national average fell.
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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.9 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.5 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.9 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Ballard is young: half of its residents are under 34.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the northeast.
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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.2% of households in Ballard, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Ballard
Renters in Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.7% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 66.4% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.1% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 65.7% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ballard rent: 65.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 20.1% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, 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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ballard: 8.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Vacancy is up 1.2 points from 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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Ballard was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the wider Seattle area, where the median home dates to 1983. The median year built has moved up from 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,036 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,282 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,846 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,167 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,131 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ballard costs $2,167 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,131 a month since 2006–10, up 109%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the northwest.
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 Ballard
Bachelor's degrees in Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.4% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 66.3% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.8% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 78.6% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +23.1 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ballard: 78.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 23.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.2% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.2% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.2% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ballard: 98.2% 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 2.2 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 Ballard
| Period | Ballard | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Ballard than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Ballard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard | 1.94 | 34.9 | 4.2% | 65.7% | 8.0% | 1977 | $2,167 | 78.6% | 98.2% | 4.2% |
| Sunset Hill | 1.98 | 37.8 | 3.4% | 51.9% | 6.6% | 1981 | $2,432 | 77.7% | 98.3% | 5.0% |
| Whittier Heights | 2.28 | 37.4 | 6.0% | 39.2% | 1.5% | 1959 | $2,403 | 77.8% | 98.1% | 1.7% |
| Phinney Ridge | 2.28 | 39.1 | 3.4% | 33.7% | 8.1% | 1944 | $2,249 | 79.4% | 99.1% | 2.6% |
| Loyal Heights | 2.39 | 41.8 | 6.9% | 31.7% | 2.6% | 1952 | $2,657 | 77.6% | 98.7% | 2.7% |
| Fremont | 1.73 | 33.3 | 3.5% | 66.0% | 5.8% | 1978 | $2,103 | 84.1% | 98.4% | 3.2% |
| Magnolia | 2.30 | 41.3 | 3.4% | 35.5% | 7.9% | 1960 | $2,765 | 78.3% | 99.5% | 3.0% |
| Greenwood | 2.07 | 35.9 | 5.4% | 53.4% | 8.2% | 1972 | $2,102 | 64.8% | 97.0% | 3.4% |
| Crown Hill | 2.45 | 39.7 | 4.6% | 28.0% | 11.9% | 1976 | $2,359 | 70.8% | 98.0% | 5.2% |
| Interbay | 2.07 | 35.5 | 4.5% | 55.9% | 7.7% | 1971 | $2,495 | 71.4% | 99.0% | 3.5% |
| Wallingford | 2.30 | 35.1 | 4.5% | 52.2% | 6.6% | 1951 | $2,205 | 83.5% | 98.3% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Valley Station, Louisville, KY · Town 'N Country Park, Town 'n' Country, FL · Pine Grove, Chicago, IL · Riverside Park, Buffalo, NY · Riviera, Santa Barbara, CA · Bryant Terrace, Malden, MA · Westside, Grand Rapids, MI · Radnor-Ft Myer Heights, Arlington, VA · Bayshore-Klatt, Anchorage, AK · Point Place, Toledo, OH
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 Ballard. 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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