Population 18,946 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fairwood
Household size in Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Fairwood average 2.62 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.70, in line with the national trend.
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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 41.0, the median age in Fairwood 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 the Seattle area overall, where the median age is 38.8. The median age has climbed from 38.9 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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.3% of households in Fairwood, well below the national share of 11.6%. The Seattle area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Fairwood
Renters in Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.5% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.1% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.6% of households in Fairwood rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About a third of owners (34.1%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the east. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, 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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Fairwood: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Fairwood are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest 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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,369 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,410 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,779 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,522 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,154 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fairwood pays $2,522 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,154 a month since 2006–10, up 84%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Fairwood
Bachelor's degrees in Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.6% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.0% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.6% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fairwood: 49.6% 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. The share with a degree has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Fairwood: 95.2% 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 1.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Fairwood
| Period | Fairwood | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Fairwood is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Fairwood compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairwood | 2.62 | 41.0 | 8.3% | 24.6% | 5.9% | 1982 | $2,522 | 49.6% | 95.2% | 4.9% |
| Renton | 2.65 | 38.3 | 11.2% | 45.9% | 6.3% | 1984 | $2,243 | 38.2% | 88.5% | 5.0% |
| East Renton Highlands | 3.10 | 39.3 | 6.1% | 12.0% | 3.3% | 1988 | $2,818 | 51.2% | 93.7% | 5.3% |
| East Hill-Meridian | 2.94 | 40.6 | 10.2% | 25.5% | 4.6% | 1984 | $2,227 | 34.0% | 90.0% | 5.7% |
| Bryn Mawr-Skyway | 2.81 | 40.7 | 14.2% | 42.7% | 8.1% | 1971 | $2,050 | 34.5% | 87.1% | 7.0% |
| Covington | 3.03 | 36.8 | 11.2% | 18.4% | 6.2% | 1994 | $2,345 | 36.5% | 94.6% | 3.9% |
| Kent | 2.92 | 35.8 | 12.2% | 48.2% | 6.9% | 1987 | $2,074 | 28.7% | 84.7% | 6.9% |
| Newcastle | 2.46 | 38.2 | 5.1% | 38.2% | 6.6% | 2001 | $2,677 | 67.7% | 97.8% | 5.4% |
| Tukwila | 2.66 | 34.9 | 12.8% | 59.3% | 6.7% | 1982 | $1,958 | 30.4% | 82.4% | 7.7% |
| SeaTac | 2.74 | 37.0 | 11.9% | 52.8% | 7.8% | 1977 | $1,779 | 28.0% | 84.9% | 8.6% |
| Hobart | 2.72 | 47.1 | 4.3% | 6.8% | 2.4% | 1986 | $2,477 | 46.1% | 96.0% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Mamaroneck, NY · Lawrenceburg, KY · Lealman, FL · Westerly, RI · Lexington Park, MD · Liberal, KS · Liberty Hill, TX · Lillington, NC · Lino Lakes, MN · Livingston, 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 Fairwood. 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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