Population 3,150 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Menlo Park
Household size in Downtown Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.70 | 2.58 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.06 | 2.72 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.03 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.89 | 2.79 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.19 | +0.21 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Downtown Menlo Park is a place of small households, averaging 1.89 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.70, 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 Downtown Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.1 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.3 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 40.4 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +1.3 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Downtown Menlo Park skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally.
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 Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.7% | 8.2% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 8.3% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 7.5% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 6.5% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downtown Menlo Park: 7.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The picture is much the same across Menlo Park.
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 Menlo Park
Renters in Downtown Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 37.9% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 78.0% | 40.8% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.0% | 40.0% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 86.0% | 42.0% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +4.1 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Downtown Menlo Park rent: 86.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 30.0% have no mortgage at all, below 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 Downtown Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 6.4% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 6.2% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 8.6% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 11.7% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +5.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Downtown Menlo Park: 12.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Menlo Park as a whole looks much the same.
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 Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1959 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1960 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1961 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1967 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +9 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Downtown Menlo Park is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The picture is much the same across Menlo Park.
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 Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,604 | $1,709 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,704 | $1,704 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,352 | $2,427 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,851 | $3,095 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,247 | +$1,387 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Menlo Park costs $2,851 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Menlo Park overall ($3,095). Rent takes 27.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Menlo Park
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.7% | 64.4% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.7% | 66.6% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.6% | 66.9% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 76.7% | 72.5% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Downtown Menlo Park: 76.7% 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.
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 Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.3% | 91.5% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.8% | 92.1% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.5% | 92.8% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 92.5% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Downtown Menlo Park is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Menlo Park.
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 Menlo Park
| Period | Downtown Menlo Park | Menlo Park | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 6.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 6.8% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 3.8% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 5.0% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Downtown Menlo Park has been strong: just 1.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 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).
Downtown Menlo Park 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 Menlo Park | 1.89 | 43.1 | 7.0% | 86.0% | 12.7% | 1969 | $2,851 | 76.7% | 93.1% | 1.4% |
| West Atherton | 2.61 | 40.0 | 4.4% | 30.3% | 16.6% | 1962 | $3,223 | 72.4% | 94.5% | 5.3% |
| Downtown North San Jose | 2.16 | 50.0 | 6.3% | 72.5% | 18.0% | 1966 | $2,417 | 74.2% | 92.9% | 0.0% |
| University South | 2.37 | 47.0 | 5.9% | 56.0% | 17.4% | 1962 | $2,959 | 86.7% | 96.6% | 4.2% |
| Fair Oaks | 4.16 | 33.4 | 13.5% | 54.5% | 5.5% | 1959 | $2,486 | 29.8% | 74.3% | 8.1% |
| Crescent Park | 2.82 | 42.5 | 4.6% | 27.2% | 8.6% | 1943 | $3,501 | 88.0% | 97.9% | 3.1% |
| Stanford University | 1.85 | 23.2 | 7.1% | 79.6% | 21.6% | 1990 | $1,997 | 88.6% | 96.0% | 10.3% |
| Belle Haven | 3.72 | 36.3 | 8.8% | 43.4% | 10.6% | 1966 | $2,880 | 31.9% | 74.9% | 10.1% |
| Friendly Acres | 3.74 | 33.4 | 9.9% | 45.5% | 6.3% | 1968 | $2,217 | 20.8% | 70.2% | 5.5% |
| Sharon Heights | 2.68 | 45.7 | 5.4% | 23.0% | 19.5% | 1969 | $3,501 | 85.1% | 98.4% | 3.8% |
| Old Palo Alto | 2.62 | 46.1 | 7.4% | 32.6% | 11.2% | 1947 | $3,501 | 87.2% | 98.4% | 2.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Town of Blake, South Daytona, FL · Midway Place, Bryan, TX · Blanco Gardens, San Marcos, TX · White Caps, Kenosha, WI · Denver International Airport, Denver, CO · Duclay Forest, Jacksonville, FL · Rancho Fontana, Fontana, CA · Providence Estates East, Matthews, NC · Pheasant Hill, Dayton, OH · Perry South, Pittsburgh, PA
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 Menlo Park. 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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