Population 4,379 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Douglas Acres
Household size in Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.26 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Douglas Acres average 2.64 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Des Moines area, where it has 2.52 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.37, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.2 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.3 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Douglas Acres is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.8, against 40.1 nationally. The picture is much the same across the Des Moines area.
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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Douglas Acres (17.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%.
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 Douglas Acres
Renters in Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.0% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.6% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.7% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Douglas Acres rent their homes (38.7%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (50.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above 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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Douglas Acres: 6.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Des Moines area.
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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Douglas Acres is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Compared with other Des Moines neighborhoods, though, Douglas Acres 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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $627 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $620 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $713 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,179 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$552 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Douglas Acres pays $1,179 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The picture is much the same across the Des Moines area. The typical renter here spends 33.1% of household income on rent, 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 Douglas Acres
Bachelor's degrees in Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Douglas Acres have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.5%, against 35.6% nationally. Douglas Acres has a lower share of college graduates than most Des Moines neighborhoods.
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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.8% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.2% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.4% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.9% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Douglas Acres never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
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 Douglas Acres
| Period | Douglas Acres | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Douglas Acres than nationally: unemployment was 6.3%, against 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).
Douglas Acres 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Acres | 2.64 | 36.8 | 17.1% | 38.7% | 6.1% | 1971 | $1,179 | 17.5% | 85.9% | 6.3% |
| Fairmont Park | 2.41 | 37.8 | 13.5% | 31.9% | 11.8% | 1954 | $1,248 | 13.3% | 89.4% | 5.8% |
| Accent | 2.76 | 38.8 | 15.0% | 18.6% | 4.2% | 1952 | $1,193 | 12.5% | 84.2% | 11.7% |
| Union Park | 2.77 | 33.9 | 16.5% | 20.2% | 7.1% | 1946 | $1,320 | 15.9% | 80.2% | 5.6% |
| Highland Park | 2.56 | 35.5 | 23.9% | 34.0% | 11.7% | 1950 | $1,054 | 11.6% | 78.9% | 6.5% |
| Fairground | 2.74 | 33.4 | 18.6% | 19.6% | 10.2% | 1940 | $1,117 | 14.8% | 78.5% | 8.1% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| Oak Park | 2.24 | 39.9 | 24.5% | 20.5% | 9.4% | 1943 | $1,207 | 24.1% | 85.7% | 1.6% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
| Downtown Des Moines | 1.34 | 28.0 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 12.6% | 1985 | $1,283 | 67.0% | 94.4% | 4.0% |
| Pioneer Park | 2.63 | 31.4 | 24.1% | 52.2% | 6.1% | 1983 | $1,110 | 18.3% | 73.8% | 7.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Ardenwald, Milwaukie, OR · Stoneybrook West, Winter Garden, FL · Chaffee Park, Denver, CO · Southside University, St. Cloud, MN · South Central Accord, Columbus, OH · Brookside, Findlay, OH · Bradford Park, Springfield, MO · Crafton Heights, Pittsburgh, PA · Bluff Acres, Madison, WI · Arlington, Youngstown, OH
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 Douglas Acres. 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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