Population 4,096 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown West
Household size in Downtown West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.61 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.60 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.43 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.97 | 2.56 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.77 | −0.05 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Downtown West is a place of big households: 2.97 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.19 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 Downtown West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.6 | 38.7 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.1 | 39.8 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 24.3 | 38.1 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −8.7 | +0.3 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Downtown West is young: half of its residents are under 24.3, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults in their twenties.
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 West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2% | 24.0% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.1% | 22.9% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 23.0% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 48.0% | 25.5% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +13.8 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly half of households in Downtown West (48.0%), 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 Downtown West
Renters in Downtown West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.1% | 43.6% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 66.1% | 47.4% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.7% | 48.4% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 62.1% | 49.5% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +5.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown West: 62.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 76.7% have no mortgage at all, 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 Downtown West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 22.0% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.7% | 24.3% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.1% | 25.2% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +10.2 pts | +2.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.8% of the housing in Downtown West, 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. The picture is much the same across Gary.
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 West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1955 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1956 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1956 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1957 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Downtown West is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1947, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $606 | $736 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $678 | $770 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $801 | $840 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $922 | $1,062 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$316 | +$326 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown West costs $922 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 42.0% of the typical renter's income, 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 West
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 12.0% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 12.6% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 13.1% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 15.0% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Downtown West: 11.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.4% | 82.6% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.1% | 83.2% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.9% | 85.0% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.2% | 86.1% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Downtown West never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The picture is much the same across Gary.
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 West
| Period | Downtown West | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7% | 18.3% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 21.8% | 18.7% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 12.5% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 10.1% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −17.6 pts | −8.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Downtown West is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Gary overall (10.1%). 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 West 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 West | 2.97 | 24.3 | 48.0% | 62.1% | 22.8% | 1947 | $922 | 11.5% | 86.2% | 5.1% |
| Tolleston | 2.62 | 42.2 | 25.0% | 45.2% | 20.3% | 1967 | $1,178 | 17.9% | 86.2% | 9.3% |
| Midtown | 2.02 | 53.2 | 11.8% | 53.9% | 32.7% | 1955 | $782 | 15.7% | 82.0% | 8.5% |
| Tarrytown | 2.76 | 42.4 | 24.8% | 45.5% | 19.4% | 1965 | $1,148 | 12.0% | 90.8% | 8.0% |
| Brunswick | 2.60 | 35.0 | 37.8% | 57.4% | 17.7% | 1962 | $1,089 | 11.1% | 83.0% | 6.1% |
| Pulaski | 2.72 | 25.5 | 39.4% | 73.8% | 29.1% | 1961 | $963 | 10.6% | 86.0% | 5.5% |
| Glen Park | 2.89 | 34.4 | 28.2% | 52.6% | 29.9% | 1951 | $1,191 | 11.4% | 84.8% | 14.1% |
| Aetna | 2.32 | 38.1 | 21.8% | 58.5% | 22.1% | 1960 | $995 | 12.6% | 88.2% | 12.9% |
| Turner-Meyn Park | 2.75 | 41.3 | 20.3% | 22.5% | 7.7% | 1958 | $1,354 | 12.6% | 81.2% | 6.3% |
| Forestdale | 2.62 | 31.2 | 18.3% | 50.7% | 6.0% | 1961 | $1,329 | 32.2% | 88.8% | 3.5% |
| Columbia Center | 2.50 | 30.9 | 25.1% | 53.9% | 5.3% | 1971 | $1,007 | 12.7% | 80.6% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Wortendyke, Midland Park, NJ · Southeast Growth Area, Fresno, CA · Garden View, Detroit, MI · Tam O'shanter, Bellevue, WA · Third Ward, Charlotte, NC · Crossroads-Riverbank, Riverbank, CA · Lykins, Kansas City, MO · Madison-Eastend, Baltimore, MD · Mills Estates, Burlingame, CA · Capitol Hill, Oklahoma City, OK
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 West. 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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