Population 5,224 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown West
Household size in Downtown West
| Period | Downtown West | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.33 | 2.52 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.44 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.50 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.40 | 2.46 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.06 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown West are small: just 1.40 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 crept up from 1.33, even as the national average fell. Downtown West has the smallest households of any St. Louis neighborhood.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5 | 38.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.4 | 39.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.3 | 40.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.5 | 40.8 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.0 | +2.3 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Downtown West is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 38.5, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 11.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 11.1% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downtown West: 7.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.9 points, even as the national share fell.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.5% | 28.3% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 77.1% | 30.1% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.8% | 31.1% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 76.8% | 29.6% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown West: 76.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About one in five owners (20.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.8% | 9.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 10.1% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 10.1% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −28.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Downtown West: 19.1% of homes are empty, 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 28.8 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 West
| Period | Downtown West | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1972 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1943 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Downtown West is a place of older homes: half were built before 1943, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north has the oldest housing.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $814 | $825 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,027 | $920 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,054 | $1,010 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,260 | $1,239 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$446 | +$414 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in Downtown West pays $1,260 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $446 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the southeast.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2% | 30.3% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.7% | 32.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 55.5% | 34.9% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.2% | 38.5% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.0 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Downtown West is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (57.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 17.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the northwest.
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 | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 88.8% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.9% | 90.5% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.1% | 92.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 93.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Downtown West have finished high school (91.9%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Locally, though, the rate is lower than in the St. Louis area overall (93.6%). The share with a diploma is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, 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 West
| Period | Downtown West | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.8% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown West runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 10.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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).
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 | 1.40 | 36.5 | 7.8% | 76.8% | 19.1% | 1943 | $1,260 | 57.2% | 91.9% | 4.6% |
| Downtown | 1.40 | 34.2 | 7.4% | 81.7% | 18.2% | 1948 | $1,250 | 55.9% | 97.3% | 8.5% |
| The Gate District | 1.95 | 41.7 | 9.0% | 49.6% | 11.3% | 1951 | $1,216 | 48.7% | 89.7% | 0.9% |
| Jeff-Vander-Lou | 2.01 | 48.3 | 15.4% | 79.2% | 29.5% | 1958 | $891 | 14.8% | 81.4% | 5.9% |
| Midtown St. Louis | 1.44 | 25.1 | 5.8% | 90.6% | 18.8% | 1986 | $1,075 | 56.2% | 95.3% | 3.7% |
| Grand Center | 1.75 | 30.7 | 20.3% | 90.7% | 17.4% | 1967 | $881 | 25.7% | 89.9% | 3.2% |
| Soulard | 1.87 | 35.3 | 7.4% | 63.6% | 14.9% | 1938 | $1,143 | 52.1% | 97.1% | 4.8% |
| Benton Park | 1.99 | 35.8 | 8.9% | 41.0% | 11.8% | 1938 | $1,014 | 64.4% | 94.3% | 6.8% |
| Tower Grove East | 2.17 | 37.8 | 17.8% | 42.9% | 11.2% | 1938 | $1,183 | 51.9% | 91.7% | 4.8% |
| Benton Park West | 2.22 | 38.4 | 21.8% | 54.1% | 16.5% | 1938 | $1,059 | 44.6% | 88.6% | 10.0% |
| Shaw | 2.14 | 36.5 | 8.0% | 48.7% | 9.8% | 1940 | $1,449 | 73.2% | 97.8% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Kranz Woods, Detroit, MI · Countryside Woods, Vancouver, WA · Plymouth Village, Redlands, CA · Lookout Valley, Chattanooga, TN · Derita-Statesville, Charlotte, NC · Dogtown, Selinsgrove, PA · The Reserve, Port St. Lucie, FL · Downtown Appleton, Appleton, WI · Linda Mar, Pacifica, CA · Downtown Concord, Concord, CA
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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