Population 21,568 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Ferndale: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Ferndale
Household size in Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.10 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.18 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.00 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.91 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Ferndale are small: just 1.91 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. Household size has dropped from 2.10 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Ferndale has the smallest households of any Michigan city with 5,000+ people.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.9 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.3 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Ferndale is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.0, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the west.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ferndale: 8.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Ferndale
Renters in Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.5% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.6% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.3% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Ferndale is about as common as it is nationally: 36.3% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the Detroit area as a whole (28.8%). Among owners, 23.1% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.7 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Ferndale than nationally: 7.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Detroit area. Vacancy has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1946 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
Ferndale is a place of older homes: half were built before 1946, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the south. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only three have older homes.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $828 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $917 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,034 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,312 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$483 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Ferndale runs $1,312 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $483 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.1% 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 Ferndale
Bachelor's degrees in Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.2% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.3% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +21.8 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ferndale: 53.3% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 21.8 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.9% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ferndale: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Ferndale has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Michigan cities.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Ferndale: 6.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.8 points, 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).
Ferndale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale | 1.91 | 38.1 | 8.3% | 36.3% | 7.8% | 1946 | $1,312 | 53.3% | 96.3% | 6.3% |
| Pleasant Ridge | 2.30 | 44.0 | 1.6% | 4.4% | 3.9% | 1938 | $1,713 | 79.6% | 98.9% | 5.6% |
| Hazel Park | 2.25 | 39.0 | 13.6% | 33.9% | 8.8% | 1955 | $1,336 | 26.4% | 88.9% | 5.4% |
| Huntington Woods | 2.69 | 45.5 | 4.5% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 1952 | $2,493 | 83.9% | 99.2% | 1.0% |
| Oak Park | 2.43 | 39.4 | 14.1% | 36.7% | 5.3% | 1959 | $1,578 | 36.6% | 94.5% | 10.4% |
| Highland Park | 2.45 | 40.5 | 19.0% | 48.8% | 32.9% | 1947 | $892 | 19.9% | 83.5% | 16.8% |
| Royal Oak | 2.04 | 39.1 | 6.3% | 32.0% | 7.2% | 1956 | $1,516 | 64.4% | 97.2% | 3.6% |
| Madison Heights | 2.18 | 39.5 | 8.7% | 35.2% | 10.5% | 1964 | $1,272 | 33.0% | 90.2% | 3.3% |
| Berkley | 2.26 | 38.3 | 5.6% | 12.1% | 5.9% | 1950 | $1,684 | 58.9% | 98.6% | 2.2% |
| Detroit area | 2.57 | 41.0 | 11.2% | 28.8% | 8.3% | 1970 | $1,373 | 34.5% | 90.9% | 6.7% |
| Lathrup Village | 2.52 | 46.4 | 2.3% | 8.5% | 4.2% | 1956 | $1,449 | 56.5% | 95.4% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Sharpsburg, GA · Manheim, PA · Mill Creek, WA · Millersville, MD · Milwaukie, OR · Mineola, NY · Oregon, OH · Salem, OH · Salmon Creek, WA · Sartell, MN
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 Ferndale. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.