Population 9,694 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in City Center West
Household size in City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.60 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.78 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.71 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.48 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
City Center West is a place of small households, averaging 1.48 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 1.60 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Philadelphia 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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.3 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.5 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.0 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.6 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
City Center West is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 34.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 1.5% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.1% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in City Center West: 2.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Philadelphia neighborhoods have a lower share of single-parent households: only two of 64.
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 City Center West
Renters in City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.2% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 62.7% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.6% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 67.3% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in City Center West: 67.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (40.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.2 points, mirroring the country.
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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in City Center West: 11.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in City Center West is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1954 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,292 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,564 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,723 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,048 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$756 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in City Center West runs $2,048 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $756 a month from 2006–10, a 58% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the southeast.
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 City Center West
Bachelor's degrees in City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.1% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.7% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.5% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 85.0% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in City Center West: 85.0% 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 10.9 points, as it has nationally. Only one other Philadelphia neighborhood has a higher 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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.3% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in City Center West: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. City Center West has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Philadelphia neighborhoods.
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 City Center West
| Period | City Center West | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in City Center West has been strong: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. City Center West has the lowest unemployment rate of any Philadelphia neighborhood. Unemployment is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
City Center West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Center West | 1.48 | 38.0 | 2.1% | 67.3% | 11.6% | 1960 | $2,048 | 85.0% | 97.2% | 1.9% |
| Rittenhouse Square | 1.50 | 41.5 | 1.7% | 68.4% | 15.7% | 1955 | $2,063 | 85.0% | 98.6% | 3.3% |
| Schuylkill Southwest | 2.02 | 32.1 | 5.4% | 50.2% | 13.6% | 1966 | $2,164 | 77.3% | 96.3% | 4.7% |
| Spring Garden | 1.64 | 36.0 | 3.3% | 76.9% | 12.2% | 1974 | $2,083 | 81.3% | 98.1% | 3.4% |
| Chinatown | 1.49 | 38.6 | 6.3% | 73.7% | 10.7% | 1980 | $1,952 | 64.9% | 88.8% | 8.8% |
| University City | 2.01 | 22.6 | 1.7% | 92.7% | 6.7% | 2006 | $3,009 | 74.5% | 100.0% | 12.6% |
| City Center East | 1.50 | 38.9 | 7.4% | 67.6% | 11.7% | 1961 | $1,935 | 80.7% | 95.8% | 3.3% |
| Bella Vista | 1.94 | 34.3 | 8.1% | 56.2% | 8.2% | 1960 | $1,745 | 78.3% | 96.9% | 5.5% |
| Fairmount | 1.86 | 37.2 | 3.8% | 48.8% | 6.8% | 1961 | $2,028 | 84.7% | 97.7% | 2.9% |
| Point Breeze-Philadelphia | 2.24 | 36.1 | 14.2% | 39.4% | 12.9% | 1941 | $1,685 | 49.6% | 89.2% | 6.7% |
| Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista | 2.12 | 36.7 | 8.7% | 44.4% | 7.2% | 1942 | $1,757 | 59.8% | 89.9% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Downtown Jamestown, Jamestown, NY · Athens, West Athens, CA · Boyd Acres, Bend, OR · Providence Crossing, Charlotte, NC · Western Hills Yarborough, Shreveport, LA · Vista, Boise, ID · Twin Lakes, Federal Way, WA · Silver Terrace, San Francisco, CA · Fairview Shores, Orlando, FL · South Side, Wilmington, NC
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 City Center West. 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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