Population 25,069 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Creston
Household size in Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Creston is a place of small households, averaging 2.30 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the east.
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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.5 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.3 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.2 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Creston is 36.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 38.5, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Creston than nationally: 14.3%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Creston
Renters in Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.8% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.0% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.8% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Creston rent their homes (27.3%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over a third of owners (35.2%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the center. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.5 points, 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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.5% of homes in Creston are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 3.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of Grand Rapids' 21 neighborhoods have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Creston is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1953, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest. Compared with other Grand Rapids neighborhoods, though, Creston has newer 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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $813 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $844 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $973 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,421 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$607 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Creston pays $1,421 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in the wider Grand Rapids area ($1,285). Rents are up $607 a month from 2006–10, a 75% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.9% of household income on rent, 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 Creston
Bachelor's degrees in Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.8% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.7% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Creston than nationally: 40.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 13.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center 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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.0% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Creston: 95.0% 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 5.4 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 Creston
| Period | Creston | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Creston runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Creston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creston | 2.30 | 36.3 | 14.3% | 27.3% | 4.5% | 1953 | $1,421 | 40.7% | 95.0% | 4.3% |
| Highland Park | 2.48 | 32.1 | 14.7% | 33.6% | 8.6% | 1959 | $1,431 | 45.4% | 98.0% | 7.5% |
| Norteast Citizens Action | 2.30 | 34.2 | 10.8% | 47.9% | 6.0% | 1977 | $1,185 | 44.5% | 94.9% | 3.6% |
| Belknap Lookout | 2.03 | 31.2 | 16.5% | 68.7% | 11.3% | 1969 | $1,452 | 51.5% | 91.6% | 2.5% |
| Midtown-Grand Rapids | 1.90 | 29.4 | 10.9% | 60.9% | 8.5% | 1968 | $1,573 | 59.7% | 98.9% | 3.8% |
| West Grand | 2.29 | 32.0 | 14.3% | 55.8% | 9.9% | 1945 | $1,319 | 32.5% | 82.6% | 8.2% |
| Heritage Hill | 1.93 | 32.0 | 6.5% | 68.5% | 7.4% | 1938 | $1,326 | 57.0% | 95.6% | 3.4% |
| East Hills | 1.98 | 31.0 | 6.6% | 66.2% | 7.1% | 1938 | $1,405 | 62.8% | 98.8% | 4.4% |
| Heartside-Downtown | 1.43 | 35.4 | 4.4% | 90.9% | 9.6% | 1962 | $1,082 | 49.5% | 92.5% | 9.5% |
| Swan | 2.35 | 27.2 | 14.0% | 74.5% | 14.0% | 1952 | $1,458 | 35.8% | 91.4% | 6.2% |
| Eastown | 2.60 | 30.8 | 7.3% | 34.3% | 10.9% | 1939 | $1,860 | 72.7% | 96.9% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Stanford University, Stanford, CA · Visitacion Valley, San Francisco, CA · Urbandale-Parkdale, Dallas, TX · Grand Boulevard, Chicago, IL · Garvey, Rosemead, CA · Forest Hill, Newark, NJ · West Price Hill, Cincinnati, OH · Clearing, Chicago, IL · Southeast, Canal Winchester, OH · Cedar Brook, Philadelphia, PA
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 Creston. 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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