Population 20,010 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central District
Household size in Central District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.05 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.09 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.99 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Central District are small: just 1.99 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 edged down from 2.05, as it has nationally.
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 District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.3 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.3 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.6 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.3, Central District 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. The median age has dropped from 36.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Of Seattle's 67 neighborhoods, only five are younger.
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 District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Central District: 6.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Compared with other Seattle neighborhoods, though, Central District has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 District
Renters in Central District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.0% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 64.4% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.4% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 66.6% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Central District rent: 66.6% 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, 25.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Central District than nationally: 6.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Vacancy has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Central District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +18 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Housing in Central District leans a little older: the median home dates to 1976, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the east.
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 District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $969 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,191 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,630 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,075 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,106 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Central District costs $2,075 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Seattle area ($2,193). Rents are up $1,106 a month from 2006–10, a 114% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.5% 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 Central District
Bachelor's degrees in Central District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.1% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.0% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.8% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 68.8% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +19.7 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Central District: 68.8% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 19.7 points, mirroring the country.
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 District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.1% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.7 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Central District: 97.2% 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 10.7 points, in line with the national trend.
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 District
| Period | Central District | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Central District is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 District 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 District | 1.99 | 33.3 | 6.5% | 66.6% | 6.7% | 1976 | $2,075 | 68.8% | 97.2% | 5.5% |
| First Hill | 1.54 | 31.4 | 4.3% | 88.3% | 11.1% | 1993 | $2,029 | 67.3% | 96.5% | 9.5% |
| Madrona | 2.42 | 41.8 | 10.2% | 29.4% | 3.3% | 1942 | $2,421 | 73.5% | 96.9% | 5.4% |
| International District | 1.62 | 37.6 | 5.4% | 87.5% | 13.3% | 1993 | $1,435 | 50.1% | 83.0% | 6.2% |
| Leschi | 2.26 | 42.2 | 11.1% | 40.0% | 6.2% | 1963 | $2,141 | 72.3% | 95.3% | 6.6% |
| Capitol Hill | 1.63 | 34.6 | 2.9% | 74.1% | 6.6% | 1971 | $2,010 | 75.3% | 98.6% | 4.2% |
| Atlantic | 2.07 | 37.7 | 10.0% | 54.4% | 5.4% | 1995 | $1,891 | 59.2% | 90.0% | 5.8% |
| Pioneer Square | 1.26 | 40.0 | 3.5% | 90.2% | 20.3% | 1999 | $1,728 | 34.3% | 89.4% | 23.4% |
| South Lake Union | 1.40 | 29.6 | 1.3% | 93.3% | 14.6% | 2013 | $2,571 | 80.3% | 98.7% | 4.4% |
| Belltown | 1.43 | 34.3 | 2.0% | 83.2% | 17.2% | 2005 | $2,448 | 77.7% | 97.3% | 6.1% |
| Montlake | 2.46 | 44.7 | 3.4% | 8.9% | 3.4% | 1938 | $3,260 | 84.2% | 98.0% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: North Beach, San Francisco, CA · Civic Center, Stockton, CA · Crawford, Chicago, IL · Creekside Park, The Woodlands, TX · Sabre Springs, San Diego, CA · Rita Ranch, Tucson, AZ · Rainier Beach, Seattle, WA · Jefferson Park, Los Angeles, CA · Del Rio, Jacksonville, FL · Kamms Corner, Cleveland, OH
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 District. 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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