Population 3,922 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia Heights West
Household size in Columbia Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.84 | 2.18 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.02 | 2.34 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.25 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.00 | 2.22 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | +0.04 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Columbia Heights West is a place of big households: 3.00 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 climbed from 2.84, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Columbia Heights West has the largest households of any Arlington neighborhood.
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 Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.8 | 35.4 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.0 | 35.6 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.1 | 36.2 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 37.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.5 | +1.8 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Columbia Heights West is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. That is in line with the rest of Arlington. Compared with other Arlington neighborhoods, though, Columbia Heights West is older than most.
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 Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 6.7% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 6.2% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 23.3% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 5.4% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.9 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Columbia Heights West (8.9%), below the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are more common here than in Arlington as a whole (5.4%). Columbia Heights West has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Arlington neighborhoods.
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 Heights West
Renters in Columbia Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.3% | 53.1% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 59.2% | 55.2% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.0% | 57.3% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 59.7% | 58.8% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Columbia Heights West: 59.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Arlington. Nearly a quarter of owners (24.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 10.8% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 11.5% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.7% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 8.7% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Columbia Heights West is close to the national rate: 9.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%.
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 Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1967 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1968 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1970 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1973 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Columbia Heights West is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Compared with other Arlington neighborhoods, Columbia Heights West has older homes than most.
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 Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,277 | $1,605 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,309 | $1,748 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,554 | $2,202 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,964 | $2,521 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$687 | +$916 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Columbia Heights West runs $1,964 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Arlington overall ($2,521). Rent takes 37.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Heights West
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3% | 70.2% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.1% | 72.4% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 75.5% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.1% | 76.5% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +6.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Columbia Heights West (41.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in Arlington as a whole (76.5%). Only one other Arlington neighborhood has 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 Columbia Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.2% | 92.5% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.8% | 93.8% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.7% | 94.4% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.2% | 94.9% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Columbia Heights West never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Few Arlington neighborhoods have a lower share of high school graduates: only two of 29.
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 Heights West
| Period | Columbia Heights West | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 3.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 2.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 3.4% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | +0.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbia Heights West has been low: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Columbia Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Heights West | 3.00 | 38.3 | 8.9% | 59.7% | 9.4% | 1963 | $1,964 | 41.1% | 80.2% | 2.4% |
| Forest Glen | 2.72 | 39.5 | 8.9% | 78.6% | 8.0% | 1963 | $1,686 | 31.9% | 72.5% | 3.3% |
| Columbia Forest | 2.09 | 40.4 | 10.3% | 43.6% | 13.7% | 1970 | $1,865 | 57.7% | 83.8% | 6.0% |
| 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% |
| Bluemont | 2.62 | 35.0 | 6.9% | 38.9% | 8.2% | 1974 | $3,208 | 82.5% | 98.5% | 1.7% |
| Ashton Heights | 2.11 | 35.9 | 8.9% | 71.1% | 12.8% | 1966 | $2,690 | 76.2% | 97.9% | 5.2% |
| Ballston-Virginia Square | 1.71 | 33.5 | 4.4% | 72.3% | 9.0% | 1994 | $2,793 | 88.5% | 98.8% | 2.6% |
| Nauck | 2.16 | 34.8 | 8.7% | 49.5% | 14.8% | 1978 | $2,264 | 66.7% | 98.8% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Urbanizacion Turabo Gdns, Caguas, PR · Lower East, Santa Barbara, CA · Orem North, Orem, UT · Downtown Ashtabula, Ashtabula, OH · Questa, Mountain House, CA · Cimarron, Rochester, MN · East Bluff, Peoria, IL · Jacobsville, Evansville, IN · Castlewood Park, Lexington, KY · Woodside Village, Largo, FL
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 Heights 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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