Population 7,166 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central Square
Household size in Central Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.50 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.46 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.34 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.17 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Central Square are small: just 2.34 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 dropped from 2.57 in 2006–10, 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 Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6 | 38.9 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.1 | 39.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 40.7 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 41.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +2.5 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.3, Central Square is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 39.6 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 12.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 12.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Central Square than nationally: 10.0%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points, 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 Square
Renters in Central Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 31.6% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.0% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.5% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 31.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.6% of households in Central Square rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 39.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast.
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 Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 11.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 11.4% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 13.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Central Square as nationally: 8.9%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has edged down 0.7 points since 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 Central Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1963 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1964 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1967 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Central Square was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are newer than in the Syracuse area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1967. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $794 | $748 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $828 | $794 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $849 | $911 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $975 | $1,138 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$181 | +$390 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Central Square pays $975 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $181 a month since 2006–10, up 23%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Square
Bachelor's degrees in Central Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 28.7% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 30.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 31.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.3% | 35.8% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Central Square: 21.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 41 of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people have 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 Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 88.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.4% | 89.1% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 90.3% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 91.3% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +2.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Central Square is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Square
| Period | Central Square | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 7.3% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Central Square: 6.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.1 points, mirroring the country. 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 Square compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Square | 2.34 | 44.3 | 10.0% | 24.6% | 8.9% | 1980 | $975 | 21.3% | 93.9% | 6.8% |
| Hastings Center | 2.43 | 36.5 | 5.1% | 8.0% | 6.2% | 1992 | $768 | 22.9% | 95.6% | 16.4% |
| Mallory | 2.41 | 43.4 | 5.8% | 13.7% | 5.4% | 1985 | $775 | 19.3% | 91.3% | 7.7% |
| Hastings | 2.49 | 44.3 | 3.6% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 1989 | $776 | 17.9% | 94.2% | 4.4% |
| Pennellville | 2.09 | 50.0 | 9.9% | 8.0% | 7.6% | 1975 | $1,237 | 27.6% | 94.3% | 4.5% |
| West Monroe | 2.48 | 46.6 | 10.2% | 12.1% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,028 | 25.1% | 92.1% | 4.9% |
| Brewerton | 2.49 | 44.5 | 12.3% | 23.6% | 8.3% | 1987 | $1,114 | 36.4% | 93.2% | 5.6% |
| Sand Ridge | 2.32 | 46.8 | 12.4% | 13.3% | 8.8% | 1985 | $1,261 | 31.2% | 95.1% | 6.5% |
| East Palermo | 2.74 | 37.0 | 8.0% | 13.2% | 6.4% | 1978 | $741 | 15.7% | 85.4% | 3.4% |
| Little France | 2.37 | 45.7 | 8.0% | 11.8% | 6.3% | 1983 | $785 | 21.3% | 86.5% | 8.2% |
| Wrights Corners | 2.65 | 44.5 | 9.2% | 15.1% | 5.2% | 1979 | $955 | 27.9% | 88.1% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Parker, AZ · Millburn, NJ · Miramar Beach, FL · Moneta, VA · Monterey, TN · Monticello, GA · Monticello, IL · Montrose, VA · Oelwein, IA · Old Bethpage, NY
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 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.
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