Population 13,318 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Damascus
Household size in Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.91 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.92 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.00 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.04 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Damascus is a place of big households: 3.04 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.91 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only seven of the 115 Oregon cities with 5,000+ people have larger 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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5 | 37.3 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.0 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 39.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 41.0 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.8 | +3.7 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Damascus skews older than the country: its median age is 43.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has edged down from 44.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Damascus (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Portland area overall (9.5%). The single-parent share is up 5.7 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 Damascus
Renters in Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 36.6% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 39.1% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 38.3% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Damascus is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 10.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 33.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Damascus: just 2.9% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.9 points, mirroring the country. Only seven of the 115 Oregon cities with 5,000+ people 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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1978 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1980 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1981 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Damascus is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northeast has the oldest housing.
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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $911 | $961 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,494 | $1,105 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,549 | $1,374 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,310 | $1,794 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,399 | +$833 | +$731 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Damascus costs $2,310 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,399 a month from 2006–10, a 154% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. 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 Damascus
Bachelor's degrees in Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.0% | 33.3% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.2% | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.5% | 39.2% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 42.6% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Damascus as nationally: 34.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Portland area as a whole (42.6%). The share with a degree is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.5% | 90.0% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 90.6% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 91.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.8% | 93.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Damascus: 95.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.3 points, as it has nationally. Damascus has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Oregon cities.
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 Damascus
| Period | Damascus | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −4.0 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Damascus has been low: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.3 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Damascus 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damascus | 3.04 | 43.8 | 11.3% | 10.8% | 2.9% | 1986 | $2,310 | 34.8% | 95.8% | 3.1% |
| Clackamas | 2.66 | 40.3 | 9.1% | 35.7% | 3.9% | 1996 | $1,883 | 33.8% | 93.0% | 1.8% |
| Happy Valley | 2.86 | 40.0 | 14.7% | 36.6% | 7.9% | 1999 | $2,080 | 43.5% | 95.4% | 5.3% |
| Johnson City | 2.42 | 42.7 | 2.3% | 17.5% | 6.1% | 1984 | $2,354 | 10.7% | 87.6% | 0.6% |
| Gresham | 2.72 | 37.6 | 15.0% | 43.7% | 6.1% | 1983 | $1,701 | 22.7% | 86.6% | 5.5% |
| Boring | 2.71 | 48.1 | 5.8% | 10.9% | 6.9% | 1981 | $1,660 | 25.8% | 92.3% | 5.1% |
| Oatfield | 2.57 | 50.4 | 7.7% | 17.3% | 6.7% | 1974 | $1,725 | 38.2% | 94.2% | 4.8% |
| Gladstone | 2.37 | 45.9 | 10.5% | 36.0% | 2.8% | 1972 | $1,697 | 27.2% | 90.9% | 6.6% |
| Kelso | 3.23 | 39.2 | 1.9% | 11.7% | 7.3% | 1997 | $2,026 | 17.6% | 94.2% | 5.1% |
| Marylhurst | 2.05 | 68.0 | 3.3% | 38.3% | 5.5% | 1998 | $2,999 | 56.7% | 95.2% | 7.6% |
| Milwaukie | 2.32 | 41.2 | 11.4% | 40.7% | 7.5% | 1966 | $1,602 | 40.5% | 96.3% | 6.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Adairsville, GA · Greentree, NJ · Waynesboro, GA · Rochelle, IL · Westwood, MI · River Edge, NJ · Wrentham, MA · Aransas Pass, TX · Apollo, PA · Wynne, AR
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 Damascus. 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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