Population 4,268 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Blue Hills
Household size in Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.57 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.60 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.55 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.49 | −0.02 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Blue Hills are small: just 2.24 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 2.73, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7 | 37.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.2 | 37.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.6 | 38.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.8 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +1.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.8, Blue Hills is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the southeast.
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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.8% | 11.9% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 20.9% | 10.9% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −12.0 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in five households in Blue Hills (20.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Blue Hills has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Kansas City neighborhoods.
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 Blue Hills
Renters in Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.4% | 31.2% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.0% | 33.7% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.1% | 34.9% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.9% | 34.2% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Blue Hills than nationally: 46.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 51.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest.
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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 10.0% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 9.7% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 9.0% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 7.5% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 21.8% of the housing in Blue Hills, 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. Only one other Kansas City neighborhood has a higher vacancy rate.
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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1976 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1977 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1942 | 1977 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1944 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | −5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Blue Hills is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1944, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north 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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $852 | $897 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $893 | $980 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $944 | $1,095 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,302 | $1,395 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$450 | +$498 | +$383 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Blue Hills costs $1,302 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 37.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the north.
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 Blue Hills
Bachelor's degrees in Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 33.5% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 34.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 37.1% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 39.7% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Blue Hills: 22.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southeast.
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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.9% | 90.5% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.6% | 90.9% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.7% | 91.8% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.7% | 92.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +18.7 pts | +2.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Blue Hills is above the national rate: 92.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Kansas City area.
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 Blue Hills
| Period | Blue Hills | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 6.8% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 26.2% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −2.9 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Blue Hills runs well above the national rate: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. 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).
Blue Hills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Hills | 2.24 | 34.8 | 20.9% | 46.9% | 21.8% | 1944 | $1,302 | 22.3% | 92.7% | 7.8% |
| Eastern 49-63 | 2.34 | 29.3 | 9.3% | 50.2% | 7.0% | 1938 | $1,395 | 51.8% | 90.1% | 10.6% |
| North Town Fork Creek | 2.17 | 41.7 | 17.9% | 48.4% | 15.0% | 1949 | $833 | 13.2% | 80.5% | 8.2% |
| Western 49-63 | 2.10 | 35.6 | 5.0% | 18.3% | 4.4% | 1938 | $1,644 | 70.7% | 99.3% | 4.8% |
| South Plaza | 1.65 | 39.9 | 4.7% | 58.0% | 29.9% | 1974 | $1,734 | 81.8% | 98.9% | 3.6% |
| Blenheim Square | 2.45 | 35.1 | 22.1% | 54.6% | 17.9% | 1948 | $1,030 | 20.6% | 87.0% | 6.3% |
| Southmoreland | 1.58 | 33.1 | 3.2% | 62.5% | 18.7% | 1953 | $1,238 | 65.1% | 95.0% | 2.5% |
| Oak Park Northwest | 2.23 | 44.8 | 12.6% | 49.2% | 18.9% | 1939 | $943 | 12.4% | 86.7% | 12.9% |
| West Plaza | 1.59 | 35.3 | 5.7% | 66.1% | 10.0% | 1948 | $1,434 | 71.6% | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| East Meyer | 2.61 | 39.6 | 13.4% | 39.8% | 13.8% | 1948 | $1,305 | 19.5% | 84.6% | 11.0% |
| Tower Homes | 2.08 | 37.8 | 5.4% | 20.1% | 6.3% | 1943 | $1,375 | 72.6% | 97.3% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Arlington Heights, Arlington, MA · West Redlands, Redlands, CA · Augusta Street Area, Greenville, SC · Normandy Isles, North Bay Village, FL · Linda Mar, Pacifica, CA · Biltmore Shores, Massapequa, NY · Springfield Lake Shore Improvement, Springfield, IL · Foothills, Lakewood, CO · Rancho El Dorado, Silver Bell, AZ · Southeast, Helena, MT
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 Blue Hills. 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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