Population 34,334 · 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 Central Southwest: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Central Southwest
Household size in Central Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.50 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.51 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.52 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.21 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.29 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Central Southwest is a place of big households: 3.21 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.50, a much bigger shift than 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 Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.7 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.4 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.5 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.8 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.1 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.8, Central Southwest is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 29.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Central Southwest: 21.2% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Southwest
Renters in Central Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.5% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.9% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.4% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Central Southwest rent their homes (32.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Houston area as a whole (38.8%). Nearly half of owners (47.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.0 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Central Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.3% of homes in Central Southwest are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Houston neighborhoods have a lower vacancy rate: only three of 63.
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 Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Central Southwest is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1993, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,060 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,000 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,211 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,407 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$347 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Central Southwest pays $1,407 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $347 a month since 2006–10, up 33%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.1% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 Southwest
Bachelor's degrees in Central Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Central Southwest have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
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 Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.0% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 70.4% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 71.6% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 71.6% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults in Central Southwest never finished high school, well above the national share: only 71.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 5.6 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 Southwest
| Period | Central Southwest | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Central Southwest: 9.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, a smaller 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 Southwest 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 Southwest | 3.21 | 35.8 | 21.2% | 32.4% | 5.3% | 1993 | $1,407 | 20.8% | 71.6% | 9.4% |
| Westbury | 2.31 | 35.0 | 24.4% | 79.1% | 13.3% | 1976 | $1,201 | 16.5% | 71.9% | 12.7% |
| Fort Bend Houston | 2.87 | 39.0 | 15.4% | 27.1% | 5.5% | 1982 | $1,645 | 16.8% | 82.3% | 6.3% |
| Fondren Gardens | 2.39 | 45.6 | 15.3% | 70.7% | 4.9% | 1983 | $1,283 | 26.4% | 64.6% | 3.8% |
| Willow Meadows-Willowbend Area | 2.08 | 43.3 | 7.3% | 71.9% | 9.8% | 1976 | $1,159 | 41.8% | 76.5% | 3.9% |
| South Main | 1.69 | 36.0 | 10.4% | 84.0% | 12.1% | 2005 | $1,610 | 50.2% | 98.2% | 5.0% |
| Meyerland | 2.63 | 37.8 | 15.6% | 50.6% | 10.1% | 1971 | $1,625 | 42.2% | 83.5% | 6.1% |
| Shadow Creek Ranch | 2.69 | 36.8 | 10.8% | 42.4% | 11.4% | 2009 | $2,103 | 60.4% | 98.6% | 2.3% |
| Brays Oaks | 2.66 | 36.0 | 20.5% | 76.0% | 10.5% | 1981 | $1,231 | 25.5% | 65.6% | 9.1% |
| Medical | 1.87 | 34.9 | 5.6% | 74.7% | 10.5% | 1993 | $1,558 | 71.9% | 97.4% | 7.1% |
| West University | 2.48 | 39.5 | 5.1% | 45.1% | 7.7% | 1994 | $2,310 | 83.9% | 98.3% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY · Dunning, Chicago, IL · Downtown Seattle, Seattle, WA · Sycamore, Fort Worth, TX · Desert View, Phoenix, AZ · Playa Vista, Los Angeles, CA · Throgs Neck-Edgewater Park, Bronx, NY · Park, Stockton, CA · Clinton, Manhattan, NY · St Charles, Waldorf, MD
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 Southwest. 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.