Population 5,046 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Broad Ripple
Household size in Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.82 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.96 | 2.63 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.00 | 2.63 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.98 | 2.59 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Broad Ripple is a place of small households, averaging 1.98 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 1.82 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the northwest.
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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4 | 36.3 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.0 | 37.0 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.3 | 37.7 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.6 | 38.2 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Broad Ripple is young: half of its residents are under 34.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.4, in line with the national trend.
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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 12.7% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 12.8% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 11.8% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Broad Ripple: 4.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.6 points, even as the national share fell. Broad Ripple has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Indianapolis 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 Broad Ripple
Renters in Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0% | 31.4% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.8% | 34.2% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.9% | 34.8% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.7% | 33.2% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Broad Ripple rent their homes (36.7%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the Indianapolis area as a whole (33.2%). Among homeowners, 26.0% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 10.6% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 9.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 8.0% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Broad Ripple than nationally: 6.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Indianapolis area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 5.5 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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1978 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1979 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1980 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1982 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Broad Ripple is a place of older homes: half were built before 1956, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1950 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $936 | $877 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,003 | $946 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,292 | $1,060 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,520 | $1,368 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$584 | +$492 | +$384 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Broad Ripple costs $1,520 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the Indianapolis area as a whole ($1,368). Rent has climbed $584 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 27.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Broad Ripple
Bachelor's degrees in Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.3% | 30.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 72.2% | 31.8% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.0% | 35.2% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 78.5% | 38.6% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +7.7 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Broad Ripple: 78.5% 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 7.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Broad Ripple has the highest share of college graduates of any Indianapolis neighborhood.
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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.1% | 88.1% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 99.0% | 88.9% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.2% | 89.6% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.3% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | +2.8 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Broad Ripple: 97.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 0.8 points, even as the national rate rose. Broad Ripple has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Indianapolis neighborhoods.
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 Broad Ripple
| Period | Broad Ripple | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 7.9% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 9.0% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.6% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −3.7 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Broad Ripple has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Broad Ripple 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Ripple | 1.98 | 34.6 | 4.4% | 36.7% | 6.8% | 1956 | $1,520 | 78.5% | 97.3% | 2.3% |
| Meridian-Kessler | 2.39 | 36.7 | 6.6% | 29.1% | 10.1% | 1941 | $1,331 | 75.7% | 98.0% | 1.1% |
| Mapleton-Fall Creek | 2.57 | 33.1 | 12.2% | 51.3% | 17.9% | 1939 | $1,269 | 46.2% | 91.3% | 5.9% |
| Nora | 1.69 | 40.1 | 3.8% | 77.4% | 17.7% | 1984 | $1,434 | 57.3% | 91.0% | 3.5% |
| Highland Vicinity | 1.95 | 38.7 | 14.1% | 39.4% | 21.0% | 1939 | $1,132 | 24.3% | 86.3% | 8.3% |
| North Willow Farms | 2.62 | 34.7 | 12.1% | 63.2% | 13.0% | 1977 | $1,505 | 48.8% | 92.2% | 3.3% |
| Devington | 2.53 | 33.8 | 28.7% | 53.1% | 14.9% | 1963 | $1,251 | 22.9% | 81.7% | 9.6% |
| Westchester Estates | 1.72 | 37.3 | 13.4% | 93.1% | 6.6% | 1985 | $1,121 | 47.2% | 91.9% | 1.3% |
| Martindale-Brightwood | 2.34 | 30.3 | 12.4% | 61.3% | 20.0% | 1956 | $1,156 | 26.4% | 80.8% | 5.7% |
| Hearth Stone | 1.76 | 30.9 | 8.2% | 81.0% | 10.9% | 1986 | $1,304 | 41.3% | 90.8% | 4.3% |
| Castleton | 2.20 | 34.0 | 23.3% | 68.1% | 7.2% | 1987 | $1,630 | 44.6% | 98.2% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Captain John Mullan, Missoula, MT · Stanwood Park, South Portland, ME · Hampton Cove, Owens Cross Roads, AL · Greeneville Historic District, Norwich, CT · Country Lakes, Miramar, FL · Thurston, Ann Arbor, MI · Golden Gate, Emeryville, CA · Hudson Avenue Historic District, Newark, OH · Freestate-North Highlands, Shreveport, LA · Downtown Concord, Concord, CA
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 Broad Ripple. 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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