Population 5,855 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia Forest
Household size in Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 2.18 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.34 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.25 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.09 | 2.22 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.04 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Columbia Forest are small: just 2.09 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 climbed from 1.97, 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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4 | 35.4 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.7 | 35.6 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.5 | 36.2 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.4 | 37.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +1.8 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 40.4, the median age in Columbia Forest is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in Arlington overall, where the median age is 37.3. The median age has climbed from 35.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 6.7% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 6.2% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 5.4% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Columbia Forest than nationally: 10.3%, against 11.6%. Even so, single parents are more common here than in Arlington as a whole (5.4%). The single-parent share has fallen 1.5 points since 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 Columbia Forest
Renters in Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.3% | 53.1% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 61.6% | 55.2% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.7% | 57.3% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.6% | 58.8% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Columbia Forest rent their homes (43.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. Even so, renters make up a smaller share here than in Arlington overall (58.8%). Among homeowners, 23.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 8.7 points since 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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 10.8% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 11.5% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 8.7% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Columbia Forest: 13.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.0 points, 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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1967 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1968 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1970 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1973 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Columbia Forest is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across Arlington. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north.
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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,290 | $1,605 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,705 | $1,748 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,747 | $2,202 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,865 | $2,521 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$575 | +$916 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Columbia Forest pays $1,865 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in Arlington overall ($2,521). Rent has climbed $575 a month since 2006–10, up 45%, a slower climb than the nation's. Only one other Arlington neighborhood has lower rents.
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 Columbia Forest
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.0% | 70.2% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.6% | 72.4% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.4% | 75.5% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.7% | 76.5% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +6.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Columbia Forest: 57.7% 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. Locally, though, the share is lower than in Arlington as a whole (76.5%). The share with a degree is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.2% | 92.5% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 93.8% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 94.4% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.8% | 94.9% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Columbia Forest never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Columbia Forest has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Arlington 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 Columbia Forest
| Period | Columbia Forest | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 3.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.8% | 2.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 3.4% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +0.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 6.0%, unemployment in Columbia Forest is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Arlington overall (3.4%). 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).
Columbia Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Forest | 2.09 | 40.4 | 10.3% | 43.6% | 13.7% | 1970 | $1,865 | 57.7% | 83.8% | 6.0% |
| Forest Glen | 2.72 | 39.5 | 8.9% | 78.6% | 8.0% | 1963 | $1,686 | 31.9% | 72.5% | 3.3% |
| Columbia Heights West | 3.00 | 38.3 | 8.9% | 59.7% | 9.4% | 1963 | $1,964 | 41.1% | 80.2% | 2.4% |
| Barcroft | 2.68 | 32.6 | 13.7% | 54.6% | 4.0% | 1967 | $2,087 | 59.9% | 74.2% | 1.4% |
| Douglas Park | 2.49 | 33.7 | 5.8% | 71.6% | 3.1% | 1971 | $1,983 | 53.0% | 86.9% | 5.3% |
| Bailey's Crossroads | 3.06 | 38.5 | 16.3% | 56.6% | 5.2% | 1971 | $1,946 | 39.4% | 69.0% | 7.6% |
| Buckingham | 2.02 | 37.0 | 6.6% | 70.4% | 7.2% | 1976 | $1,963 | 63.9% | 85.9% | 7.0% |
| Fairlington-Shirlington | 1.81 | 38.3 | 7.4% | 46.2% | 7.9% | 1964 | $2,569 | 78.0% | 97.4% | 3.0% |
| Nauck | 2.16 | 34.8 | 8.7% | 49.5% | 14.8% | 1978 | $2,264 | 66.7% | 98.8% | 2.9% |
| Alexandria Wrest | 2.22 | 36.0 | 10.1% | 75.8% | 8.1% | 1976 | $1,992 | 51.1% | 88.8% | 3.3% |
| Ashton Heights | 2.11 | 35.9 | 8.9% | 71.1% | 12.8% | 1966 | $2,690 | 76.2% | 97.9% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Vintage, Napa, CA · Comstock, Spokane, WA · Century City, Los Angeles, CA · Central Street Merchant District, Evanston, IL · University Park, Portland, OR · Urbanizacion Sierra Bayamon, Bayamon, PR · Bronze Boot, Phoenix, AZ · Bird Land, San Diego, CA · Belvidere, Lowell, MA · Arrowhead, San Bernardino, CA
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 Columbia Forest. 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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