Population 43,919 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Capitol Hill: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Capitol Hill
Household size in Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.64 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.70 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.73 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.63 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Capitol Hill is a place of small households, averaging 1.63 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southwest. Capitol Hill has smaller households than at least four in five Seattle neighborhoods.
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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.3 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.8 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.6 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.6, Capitol Hill 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 south and oldest in the northeast. Capitol Hill is younger than the great majority of Seattle neighborhoods.
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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.5% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.9% of households in Capitol Hill, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.5 points, mirroring the country. Only six of Seattle's 67 neighborhoods have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Capitol Hill
Renters in Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.6% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 70.7% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.5% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 74.1% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Capitol Hill rent: 74.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Nearly three in ten owners (28.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.5 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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Capitol Hill than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Seattle area. Vacancy is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +20 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Capitol Hill is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, 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 1951 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, 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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $983 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,235 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,701 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,010 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,026 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Capitol Hill costs $2,010 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Seattle area as a whole ($2,193). Rents are up $1,026 a month from 2006–10, a 104% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably 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 Capitol Hill
Bachelor's degrees in Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.2% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 67.1% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.8% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 75.3% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.0 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Capitol Hill: 75.3% 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 11.0 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.4% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.9% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.9% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 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 Capitol Hill: 98.6% 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 risen 2.2 points, mirroring the country.
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 Capitol Hill
| Period | Capitol Hill | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Capitol Hill than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, 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).
Capitol Hill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitol Hill | 1.63 | 34.6 | 2.9% | 74.1% | 6.6% | 1971 | $2,010 | 75.3% | 98.6% | 4.2% |
| South Lake Union | 1.40 | 29.6 | 1.3% | 93.3% | 14.6% | 2013 | $2,571 | 80.3% | 98.7% | 4.4% |
| First Hill | 1.54 | 31.4 | 4.3% | 88.3% | 11.1% | 1993 | $2,029 | 67.3% | 96.5% | 9.5% |
| Central District | 1.99 | 33.3 | 6.5% | 66.6% | 6.7% | 1976 | $2,075 | 68.8% | 97.2% | 5.5% |
| Eastlake | 1.66 | 36.7 | 2.4% | 67.1% | 8.9% | 1984 | $1,913 | 81.5% | 99.1% | 6.3% |
| Montlake | 2.46 | 44.7 | 3.4% | 8.9% | 3.4% | 1938 | $3,260 | 84.2% | 98.0% | 4.2% |
| Belltown | 1.43 | 34.3 | 2.0% | 83.2% | 17.2% | 2005 | $2,448 | 77.7% | 97.3% | 6.1% |
| Madrona | 2.42 | 41.8 | 10.2% | 29.4% | 3.3% | 1942 | $2,421 | 73.5% | 96.9% | 5.4% |
| Westlake | 1.46 | 31.1 | 1.2% | 81.1% | 10.7% | 2005 | $2,463 | 88.9% | 99.2% | 5.3% |
| International District | 1.62 | 37.6 | 5.4% | 87.5% | 13.3% | 1993 | $1,435 | 50.1% | 83.0% | 6.2% |
| Pioneer Square | 1.26 | 40.0 | 3.5% | 90.2% | 20.3% | 1999 | $1,728 | 34.3% | 89.4% | 23.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Almaden Valley, San Jose, CA · Arleta, Pacoima, CA · West Omaha, Omaha, NE · Outer Sunset, San Francisco, CA · Valley High-North Laguna, Sacramento, CA · Sycamore, Fort Worth, TX · Park, Stockton, CA · Gateway-Green Valley Ranch, Denver, CO · West, Raleigh, NC · Playa Vista, Los Angeles, 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 Capitol Hill. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.