Population 6,656 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Downtown
Household size in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.85 | 3.21 | 3.12 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.77 | 3.29 | 3.20 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.79 | 3.26 | 3.18 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.66 | 3.10 | 3.06 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.11 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown are small: just 1.66 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 1.85 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Honolulu neighborhood has smaller 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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.3 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 39.2 | 39.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.7 | 40.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.4 | 41.5 | 42.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +3.0 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Downtown skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 11.4% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 10.8% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 10.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downtown: 4.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Honolulu's 18 neighborhoods, only two have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Downtown
Renters in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.2% | 42.4% | 40.7% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 66.5% | 45.1% | 42.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.0% | 43.8% | 41.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 63.3% | 40.2% | 37.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −2.2 pts | −3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown: 63.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (41.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northeast.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 9.1% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 8.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 9.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 8.9% | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Downtown: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.0 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1975 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1976 | 1978 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1977 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1979 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Downtown are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,112 | $1,466 | $1,393 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,182 | $1,594 | $1,482 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,363 | $2,010 | $1,829 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,655 | $2,359 | $2,199 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$543 | +$894 | +$806 | +$606 |
The median renter in Downtown pays $1,655 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Honolulu area overall ($2,359). Rent has climbed $543 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.2% 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 Downtown
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.2% | 30.4% | 28.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.6% | 31.6% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.9% | 34.3% | 32.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.3% | 37.3% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | +6.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Downtown than nationally: 44.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the north.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.6% | 89.9% | 89.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.4% | 90.5% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.0% | 91.8% | 91.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.3% | 93.0% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +3.1 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Downtown have finished high school as nationally: 88.3%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Honolulu area as a whole (93.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points, 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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Honolulu area | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 5.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 6.3% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.5% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 4.7% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Downtown is the same as the national rate. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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).
Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown | 1.66 | 46.4 | 4.7% | 63.3% | 13.3% | 1981 | $1,655 | 44.3% | 88.3% | 5.4% |
| The Arts District | 1.97 | 49.3 | 4.6% | 74.1% | 4.6% | 1983 | $1,512 | 25.3% | 75.9% | 6.8% |
| Ala Moana-Kakaako | 1.85 | 45.6 | 5.5% | 47.1% | 16.5% | 2000 | $2,203 | 53.0% | 95.9% | 4.2% |
| Makiki | 2.03 | 44.5 | 10.5% | 55.1% | 9.0% | 1973 | $1,822 | 46.3% | 91.3% | 6.4% |
| Liliha-Kapalama | 3.18 | 48.0 | 11.6% | 40.2% | 8.5% | 1969 | $1,941 | 34.2% | 88.7% | 5.5% |
| Nuuanu-Punchbowl | 2.68 | 43.5 | 8.6% | 37.9% | 10.6% | 1970 | $2,342 | 46.6% | 94.7% | 3.5% |
| Kalihi-Palama | 3.93 | 39.5 | 18.1% | 66.9% | 8.8% | 1970 | $1,466 | 16.6% | 78.8% | 7.0% |
| Mxcully-Moiliili | 1.99 | 44.4 | 5.5% | 63.7% | 11.3% | 1973 | $1,628 | 40.1% | 89.9% | 3.5% |
| Kalihi Valley | 4.63 | 43.1 | 19.2% | 33.1% | 8.8% | 1967 | $1,928 | 23.2% | 83.1% | 3.2% |
| Waikiki | 1.64 | 49.5 | 2.6% | 60.1% | 29.5% | 1974 | $1,993 | 45.0% | 94.3% | 6.6% |
| Manoa | 2.45 | 43.9 | 8.3% | 37.5% | 7.0% | 1966 | $2,244 | 60.3% | 98.2% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Inverness, Hoover, AL · Coomer Creek, Garland, TX · Crest Drive, Eugene, OR · South Side, Bethlehem, PA · Downtown Modesto, Modesto, CA · East End, Boise, ID · Salt Meadow Bay, Virginia Beach, VA · Riverside, Wichita, KS · Regency, Jacksonville, FL · Inglewood-Riverwood, Nashville, TN
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 Downtown. 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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