Population 10,416 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elk Plain
Household size in Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.96 | 3.00 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.04 | 3.03 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.14 | 3.06 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.05 | 3.05 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.05 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Elk Plain is a place of big households: 3.05 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has crept up from 2.96 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 34.0 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.6 | 32.8 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.6 | 34.2 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 35.4 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.3 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 40.5, the median age in Elk Plain is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in Spanaway overall, where the median age is 35.4. The median age has climbed from 37.6 in 2006–10, as it has 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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 15.2% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 16.6% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 13.2% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 13.4% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Elk Plain as they are nationally: 10.8%, against 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in Spanaway overall (13.4%).
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 Elk Plain
Renters in Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 23.6% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 28.5% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 27.1% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 23.8% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +0.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.2% of households in Elk Plain rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly a quarter of owners (23.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the south. The renter share has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 7.0% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 5.2% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Elk Plain: 6.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Still, the rate is higher than in Spanaway overall (5.2%).
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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1991 | 1990 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1991 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1993 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Elk Plain has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1993, versus 1980 nationally. Spanaway as a whole looks much the same.
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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,118 | $1,240 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,262 | $1,316 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,470 | $1,478 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,235 | $2,070 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,116 | +$830 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in Elk Plain pays $2,235 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,116 a month from 2006–10, a 100% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.0% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the southwest.
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 Elk Plain
Bachelor's degrees in Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 14.6% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 14.7% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 15.7% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 17.5% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Elk Plain: 16.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 2.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.3% | 89.0% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.2% | 89.4% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 90.7% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 90.6% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Elk Plain: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.0 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 Elk Plain
| Period | Elk Plain | Spanaway | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 7.9% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 10.0% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.1% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 4.5% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Elk Plain has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.4 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
Elk Plain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Plain | 3.05 | 40.5 | 10.8% | 14.2% | 6.7% | 1993 | $2,235 | 16.4% | 94.3% | 3.0% |
| Frederickson | 3.09 | 30.7 | 16.8% | 42.7% | 9.8% | 2007 | $2,305 | 21.6% | 79.5% | 10.3% |
| Summit | 2.48 | 41.0 | 13.3% | 38.5% | 5.6% | 1985 | $1,646 | 18.1% | 93.7% | 8.9% |
| Woodbrook | 2.57 | 25.4 | 16.6% | 88.6% | 10.9% | 1986 | $1,712 | 13.4% | 86.9% | 9.5% |
| Waller | 2.63 | 41.0 | 9.4% | 14.2% | 3.9% | 1982 | $1,600 | 30.6% | 93.6% | 4.2% |
| South End | 2.72 | 37.0 | 15.6% | 36.8% | 5.8% | 1960 | $1,767 | 21.1% | 86.8% | 7.7% |
| Eastside Enact | 2.91 | 35.8 | 18.2% | 30.6% | 5.8% | 1964 | $1,713 | 21.7% | 83.5% | 6.7% |
| South Tacoma | 2.34 | 34.1 | 18.5% | 58.7% | 5.5% | 1975 | $1,692 | 22.1% | 87.8% | 8.2% |
| New Tacoma | 1.69 | 33.8 | 11.8% | 83.1% | 7.9% | 1961 | $1,475 | 38.4% | 89.6% | 7.8% |
| Central | 2.30 | 39.4 | 16.0% | 42.3% | 4.5% | 1953 | $1,680 | 35.0% | 93.1% | 3.7% |
| North End | 2.32 | 39.8 | 7.3% | 33.0% | 4.9% | 1943 | $1,813 | 65.7% | 98.3% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Mission Grove, Riverside, CA · Saint Anthony, St. Paul, MN · Thunderbird Hills, San Antonio, TX · South Knoxville, Knoxville, TN · North End, Fall River, MA · North Arroyo, Pasadena, CA · Allied Gardens, San Diego, CA · Mandarin, Jacksonville, FL · Mount Tabor, Portland, OR · Willowbrook, Houston, TX
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 Elk Plain. 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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