Population 9,808 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Los Angeles
Household size in Downtown Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.25 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.35 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.39 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.38 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Los Angeles are small: just 1.38 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. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.25, even as the national average fell. Only one other Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.8 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Downtown Los Angeles is 38.5 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has dropped from 41.3 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 1.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.4% of households in Downtown Los Angeles, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Downtown Los Angeles has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Los Angeles 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 Downtown Los Angeles
Renters in Downtown Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 88.4% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 96.5% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Los Angeles: 92.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About one in six owners (17.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Los Angeles' 51 neighborhoods, only four have a higher share of renters.
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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.6% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.0% of the housing in Downtown Los Angeles, 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. Vacancy has fallen 6.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1939 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Downtown Los Angeles is a place of older homes: half were built before 1939, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. No other Los Angeles neighborhood has older homes.
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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $704 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,041 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,490 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,738 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,034 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Downtown Los Angeles pays $1,738 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Los Angeles area as a whole ($2,279). Rent has climbed $1,034 a month since 2006–10, up 147%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 36.2% 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 Los Angeles
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.9% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.5% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.0% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.1% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Downtown Los Angeles (44.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the center.
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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.5% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.2% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.1% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Downtown Los Angeles have finished high school as nationally: 89.1%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the wider Los Angeles area (82.1%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 10.6 points, as it has nationally.
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 Los Angeles
| Period | Downtown Los Angeles | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Downtown Los Angeles: 13.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of Los Angeles' 51 neighborhoods, only three have higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles | 1.38 | 38.5 | 4.4% | 92.3% | 16.0% | 1939 | $1,738 | 44.1% | 89.1% | 13.0% |
| New Downtown | 1.50 | 40.1 | 4.1% | 89.9% | 14.8% | 1992 | $2,198 | 58.0% | 86.1% | 6.8% |
| Wholesale District-Skid Row | 1.25 | 49.4 | 1.8% | 89.9% | 17.1% | 1958 | $1,247 | 29.6% | 78.7% | 19.5% |
| Civic Center Little Tokyo | 1.88 | 37.8 | 7.3% | 91.8% | 10.6% | 2001 | $2,551 | 53.5% | 87.3% | 5.9% |
| Fashion District | 1.58 | 34.4 | 2.4% | 91.2% | 10.3% | 1974 | $2,290 | 52.8% | 85.7% | 10.0% |
| South Park | 1.49 | 34.1 | 3.2% | 89.0% | 11.8% | 2010 | $2,811 | 65.7% | 92.1% | 7.8% |
| Chinatown | 1.88 | 41.2 | 4.9% | 98.7% | 3.8% | 1992 | $2,048 | 18.6% | 63.7% | 8.3% |
| Central City East | 2.52 | 34.9 | 14.4% | 89.1% | 9.3% | 1985 | $1,687 | 29.4% | 69.9% | 9.5% |
| Westlake | 2.67 | 35.5 | 17.2% | 96.0% | 7.3% | 1966 | $1,424 | 21.5% | 59.0% | 7.3% |
| Central City | 3.81 | 32.7 | 26.2% | 79.7% | 5.2% | 1955 | $1,406 | 9.6% | 50.0% | 10.9% |
| Historic Filipinotown | 2.57 | 37.6 | 13.1% | 86.0% | 7.0% | 1967 | $1,812 | 37.2% | 76.7% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Naples-Marina Area, Long Beach, CA · Boulevard Heights, St. Louis, MO · Thomasville, Atlanta, GA · Santa Clara Street, Hayward, CA · Scarsdale, Arlington Heights, IL · Prides Crossing, Aurora, CO · Ellerbee Woods, Shreveport, LA · Downtown Redmond, Redmond, WA · Downtown Pensacola, Pensacola, FL · Clarendon, Arlington, VA
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 Los Angeles. 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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