Population 3,698 · 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 Center Square: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Center Square
Household size in Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.55 | 2.44 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.47 | 2.45 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.61 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.54 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Center Square are small: just 1.54 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. No other Albany neighborhood has smaller households.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7 | 39.8 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.9 | 40.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.1 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.3 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.3, Center Square 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. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 31.7, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.0% | 10.0% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Center Square: 2.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Center Square has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Albany neighborhood.
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 Center Square
Renters in Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.9% | 33.8% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 81.3% | 34.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.8% | 36.1% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 74.4% | 35.8% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Center Square: 74.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 24.1% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 11.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 13.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Center Square than nationally: 13.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1966 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1938 | 1969 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Center Square is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1938, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. No other Albany neighborhood has older homes.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $765 | $882 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $829 | $975 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $966 | $1,114 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,213 | $1,360 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$448 | +$478 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Center Square pays $1,213 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. 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 Center Square
Bachelor's degrees in Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.3% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 62.0% | 34.4% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.3% | 37.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.1% | 42.2% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | −11.2 pts | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Center Square is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (59.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Compared with other Albany neighborhoods, Center Square has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.7% | 90.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.5% | 91.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 91.8% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.0% | 93.0% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Center Square: 97.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only two of Albany's 13 neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Center Square
| Period | Center Square | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Center Square is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, 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).
Center Square 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Square | 1.54 | 34.3 | 2.0% | 74.4% | 13.4% | 1938 | $1,213 | 59.1% | 97.0% | 4.8% |
| Central Ave | 1.66 | 32.1 | 6.5% | 90.7% | 19.8% | 1944 | $1,176 | 45.3% | 86.8% | 11.6% |
| Sheridan Hollow | 1.77 | 37.8 | 13.2% | 78.1% | 26.4% | 1942 | $1,114 | 29.5% | 74.9% | 18.6% |
| Arbor Hill | 2.04 | 37.2 | 26.5% | 71.8% | 15.9% | 1973 | $973 | 21.6% | 87.5% | 3.8% |
| South End | 1.81 | 40.1 | 29.2% | 78.9% | 19.2% | 1947 | $1,034 | 22.7% | 82.1% | 14.3% |
| West Hill | 2.27 | 36.6 | 15.7% | 68.4% | 24.5% | 1950 | $1,260 | 22.3% | 89.1% | 11.5% |
| Pine Hills | 2.19 | 25.4 | 8.3% | 77.6% | 13.5% | 1945 | $1,254 | 48.0% | 90.7% | 8.1% |
| Delaware Avenue | 2.61 | 30.5 | 12.8% | 44.3% | 9.2% | 1940 | $1,231 | 37.8% | 89.6% | 4.4% |
| Helderberg | 2.08 | 42.4 | 3.1% | 27.9% | 13.4% | 1943 | $1,606 | 65.3% | 97.7% | 3.2% |
| West End | 2.62 | 30.7 | 19.1% | 77.4% | 12.6% | 1963 | $1,125 | 25.2% | 86.8% | 8.7% |
| New Scotland-Woodlawn | 1.93 | 34.9 | 3.7% | 55.8% | 4.8% | 1950 | $1,421 | 59.2% | 92.5% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Downtown Hilo, Hilo, HI · Marquette, Muskegon, MI · McGilvra, Mercer Island, WA · Westhaven Trails, Madison, WI · East Village, Celebration, FL · Duclay Forest, Jacksonville, FL · Urbanizacion Vistamar, Carolina, PR · Downtown Newman, Newman, CA · Urbanizacion Palacios del Rio 2, Bayamon, PR · Lovisa Farms, Pasco, WA
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 Center Square. 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.