Population 4,719 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downer Woods
Household size in Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.86 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.35 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Downer Woods holds 2.86 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.51 in 2006–10, 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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7 | 37.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 25.0 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 23.5 | 39.6 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 24.2 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 24.2, Downer Woods is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. Only one other Milwaukee neighborhood is younger.
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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 13.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 12.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downer Woods: 4.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Downer Woods has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Milwaukee 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 Downer Woods
Renters in Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.8% | 37.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.4% | 39.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.7% | 39.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.7% | 39.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Downer Woods than nationally: 43.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 40.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Compared with other Milwaukee neighborhoods, though, Downer Woods has a lower share of renters than most.
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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.8% of the housing in Downer Woods, 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.
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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1965 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1941 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Downer Woods is a place of older homes: half were built before 1941, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,361 | $849 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,486 | $928 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,424 | $1,022 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,689 | $1,290 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$328 | +$441 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downer Woods costs $1,689 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 44.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. No other Milwaukee neighborhood has higher 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 Downer Woods
Bachelor's degrees in Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.5% | 31.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 76.0% | 32.9% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.4% | 35.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 73.7% | 39.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.1 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Downer Woods: 73.7% 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. Only one other Milwaukee neighborhood has a higher 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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.8% | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 99.8% | 89.5% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.2% | 91.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.1% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Downer Woods: 99.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. No other Milwaukee neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Downer Woods
| Period | Downer Woods | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.7% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Downer Woods: 6.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. 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).
Downer Woods 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downer Woods | 2.86 | 24.2 | 4.5% | 43.7% | 14.8% | 1941 | $1,689 | 73.7% | 99.1% | 6.1% |
| Upper East Side | 2.56 | 27.7 | 4.4% | 58.9% | 11.9% | 1939 | $1,618 | 66.1% | 97.4% | 4.0% |
| Murray Hill | 1.80 | 33.1 | 4.4% | 81.0% | 7.3% | 1947 | $1,300 | 63.6% | 98.4% | 4.3% |
| Riverwest | 1.75 | 35.1 | 8.5% | 63.5% | 8.6% | 1950 | $1,146 | 54.8% | 94.9% | 4.5% |
| Northpoint | 1.52 | 48.3 | 3.5% | 78.8% | 12.3% | 1963 | $1,602 | 73.9% | 98.9% | 4.2% |
| Harambee | 2.93 | 24.8 | 33.8% | 66.8% | 14.9% | 1945 | $1,040 | 17.1% | 84.1% | 13.1% |
| Lower East Side | 1.48 | 32.6 | 1.1% | 80.2% | 9.0% | 1969 | $1,336 | 65.9% | 96.0% | 4.6% |
| Borchert Field | 2.48 | 27.3 | 36.8% | 65.8% | 19.1% | 1939 | $1,147 | 8.1% | 83.9% | 13.8% |
| Yankee Hill | 1.45 | 34.8 | 0.7% | 89.7% | 9.6% | 1955 | $1,136 | 64.8% | 95.3% | 4.0% |
| Arlington Heights | 2.76 | 32.2 | 33.3% | 71.5% | 24.9% | 1938 | $1,106 | 10.7% | 88.8% | 13.6% |
| North Division | 2.61 | 34.1 | 27.3% | 66.2% | 21.1% | 1940 | $974 | 11.0% | 84.1% | 10.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: West Rock, New Haven, CT · Aspen Ridge, Indianapolis, IN · Provo South, Provo, UT · Meador Park, Springfield, MO · Upper Land Park, Sacramento, CA · Berg-Lasher, Detroit, MI · McClellan Park, Madison, WI · Midtown, Tucson, AZ · Alta Vista-Waco, Waco, TX · Myers, Tucson, AZ
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 Downer Woods. 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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