Population 5,657 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central Bench
Household size in Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.98 | 2.75 | 2.72 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.87 | 2.79 | 2.78 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.13 | 2.75 | 2.76 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | −0.05 | +0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Central Bench are small: just 2.10 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. Household size has climbed from 1.98 in 2006–10, 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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 34.6 | 35.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 35.8 | 36.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.0 | 37.2 | 37.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.0 | 38.4 | 38.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.8 | +3.8 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
Central Bench is young: half of its residents are under 36.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has edged down from 36.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 10.5% | 10.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 10.4% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 9.5% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Central Bench (15.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 3.9 points, even as the national share fell. Only one other Boise neighborhood has a higher 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 Central Bench
Renters in Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.0% | 29.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.7% | 31.9% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.4% | 30.3% | 30.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.7% | 27.5% | 27.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Central Bench rent: 56.7% 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, 31.8% have no mortgage at all, 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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 7.2% | 11.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 5.6% | 10.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 5.6% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −2.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Central Bench than nationally: 7.3%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Still, the rate is higher than in the Boise area as a whole (5.6%). Vacancy has risen 2.0 points since 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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1989 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1989 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1991 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1996 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +7 | +6 |
Central Bench is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, 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 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $716 | $884 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $775 | $921 | $820 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $898 | $1,075 | $941 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,225 | $1,700 | $1,407 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$509 | +$815 | +$641 | +$606 |
The median renter in Central Bench pays $1,225 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $509 a month since 2006–10, up 71%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
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 Central Bench
Bachelor's degrees in Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 28.8% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 30.0% | 25.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 31.6% | 27.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 36.9% | 31.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Central Bench as nationally: 33.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Boise area overall (36.9%). The share with a degree has risen 14.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Boise neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.8% | 89.5% | 88.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.8% | 90.1% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 91.7% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Central Bench is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Boise area. The share with a diploma is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, 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 Central Bench
| Period | Central Bench | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 7.7% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −4.5 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Central Bench has been low: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 8.3 points, a much bigger 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).
Central Bench 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Bench | 2.10 | 36.0 | 15.0% | 56.7% | 7.3% | 1970 | $1,225 | 33.6% | 93.7% | 2.9% |
| Depot Bench | 2.33 | 35.4 | 11.5% | 41.5% | 6.9% | 1962 | $1,222 | 50.9% | 94.2% | 4.0% |
| Hillcrest | 2.06 | 43.8 | 1.5% | 28.1% | 4.5% | 1972 | $1,359 | 45.1% | 99.4% | 8.1% |
| Franklin Randolph | 2.36 | 36.9 | 16.3% | 37.5% | 4.9% | 1975 | $1,293 | 29.3% | 89.1% | 3.3% |
| Vista | 2.09 | 34.9 | 12.8% | 47.9% | 5.5% | 1979 | $1,422 | 36.4% | 94.4% | 5.2% |
| Winstead Park | 2.33 | 36.9 | 6.8% | 47.5% | 7.0% | 1974 | $1,365 | 47.2% | 92.6% | 2.2% |
| Downtown | 1.44 | 43.6 | 4.3% | 87.9% | 11.1% | 1994 | $1,103 | 43.4% | 94.7% | 2.3% |
| Veterans Park | 2.19 | 36.6 | 9.3% | 57.2% | 8.0% | 1977 | $1,378 | 45.8% | 94.4% | 3.1% |
| North End | 2.07 | 41.1 | 5.4% | 41.4% | 8.1% | 1947 | $1,254 | 61.9% | 98.6% | 2.8% |
| West Bench | 2.61 | 40.3 | 8.2% | 25.8% | 4.8% | 1977 | $1,672 | 37.0% | 94.4% | 2.2% |
| Sunset | 2.48 | 35.7 | 8.0% | 26.0% | 2.7% | 1965 | $1,652 | 63.9% | 92.5% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Village Centre, Menomonee Falls, WI · Greater Belhaven, Jackson, MS · Torringford, Torrington, CT · Terra Linda, San Rafael, CA · North Country Meadows, Oildale, CA · Euclid Ave South, Helena, MT · Northbrook, Cincinnati, OH · Larkfield-Wikiup, Santa Rosa, CA · Muncie-Stony PT., Kansas City, KS · Paloma Lake, Round Rock, TX
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 Central Bench. 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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