Population 4,505 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ghent
Household size in Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.81 | 2.76 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.85 | 2.67 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.82 | 2.59 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.73 | 2.40 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.36 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Ghent is a place of small households, averaging 1.73 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Only one other Norfolk neighborhood has smaller households.
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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.9 | 32.0 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.0 | 32.7 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.8 | 33.7 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 35.2 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.6 | +3.2 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 39.5, the median age in Ghent 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 Norfolk overall, where the median age is 35.2. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 30.9, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 16.9% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 16.8% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 14.7% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 15.5% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ghent: 2.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. No other Norfolk neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Ghent
Renters in Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.6% | 53.5% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 71.7% | 56.4% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.1% | 56.7% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 63.4% | 53.8% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ghent rent: 63.4% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. More than a quarter of owners (27.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below 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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 11.2% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 9.9% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 9.1% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ghent: 6.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Ghent has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Norfolk neighborhoods.
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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1963 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1965 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1965 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1967 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Ghent is a place of older homes: half were built before 1947, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. No other Norfolk neighborhood has 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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $998 | $946 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,124 | $1,093 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,180 | $1,203 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,397 | $1,451 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$399 | +$505 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ghent pays $1,397 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. The picture is much the same across Norfolk. The typical renter here spends 26.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Ghent
Bachelor's degrees in Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.1% | 23.9% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 69.3% | 25.4% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.7% | 29.5% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.5% | 32.4% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ghent: 64.5% 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. Ghent has a higher share of college graduates than at least four in five Norfolk neighborhoods.
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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.2% | 84.9% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.3% | 87.4% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.3% | 88.8% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 90.8% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +5.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ghent: 98.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only two of Norfolk's 21 neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Ghent
| Period | Ghent | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 9.7% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 11.2% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 7.5% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −3.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Ghent is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Ghent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghent | 1.73 | 39.5 | 2.4% | 63.4% | 6.1% | 1947 | $1,397 | 64.5% | 98.6% | 5.8% |
| Ghent Square | 1.68 | 37.7 | 3.9% | 67.5% | 7.8% | 1975 | $1,724 | 71.7% | 99.1% | 1.7% |
| Park Place | 2.26 | 35.4 | 16.6% | 58.5% | 12.5% | 1951 | $1,332 | 33.0% | 90.3% | 5.0% |
| Downtown Norfolk | 1.78 | 33.4 | 17.9% | 81.2% | 7.8% | 1971 | $1,362 | 49.8% | 92.1% | 5.5% |
| Lindenwood | 2.41 | 34.8 | 19.1% | 56.9% | 16.9% | 1955 | $1,217 | 25.9% | 86.2% | 4.5% |
| Highland Park | 2.32 | 23.6 | 4.0% | 80.0% | 20.0% | 1997 | $1,543 | 42.8% | 96.6% | 4.2% |
| Lamberts Point | 2.46 | 21.3 | 5.9% | 73.8% | 6.8% | 1985 | $1,432 | 37.0% | 85.3% | 7.2% |
| Colonial Place Riverview | 1.82 | 40.6 | 7.1% | 43.8% | 9.3% | 1954 | $1,627 | 68.5% | 94.9% | 9.0% |
| Central Brambleton | 2.78 | 29.2 | 27.8% | 74.6% | 17.4% | 1986 | $763 | 29.7% | 88.2% | 22.0% |
| Larchmont-Edgewater | 2.65 | 32.3 | 4.7% | 24.7% | 6.6% | 1956 | $2,109 | 79.2% | 97.8% | 2.1% |
| Fairmont Park | 2.61 | 39.6 | 21.1% | 45.1% | 14.4% | 1959 | $1,373 | 19.2% | 86.3% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Ybor City, Tampa, FL · Wrightsboro, Wilmington, NC · Allendale, Oakland, CA · Arlington Heights, Milwaukee, WI · Atlantic Boulevard Estates, Jacksonville, FL · Park East, Sarasota, FL · Old Town-Chinatown, Portland, OR · Parkside, Camden, NJ · Pines Village, New Orleans, LA · Pinewood-West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, FL
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 Ghent. 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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