Population 9,087 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Greater South Side
Household size in Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Greater South Side are small: just 2.30 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 crept up from 2.27 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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.2 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.2 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Greater South Side are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Des Moines area overall, where the median age is 37.6. The median age has dropped from 41.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only two of Des Moines' 22 neighborhoods are older.
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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Greater South Side (10.5%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The Des Moines area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, 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 Greater South Side
Renters in Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.4% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Greater South Side is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 30.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.2 points, 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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Greater South Side: just 4.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.9 points, mirroring the country. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has a lower vacancy rate.
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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Greater South Side is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1951 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $761 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $760 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $927 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,152 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$392 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Greater South Side pays $1,152 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $392 a month since 2006–10, up 51%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the north.
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 Greater South Side
Bachelor's degrees in Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Greater South Side: 22.8% 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 edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest 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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.8% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Greater South Side is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only two of Des Moines' 22 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 Greater South Side
| Period | Greater South Side | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Greater South Side than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller 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).
Greater South Side 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater South Side | 2.30 | 40.2 | 10.5% | 20.5% | 4.8% | 1957 | $1,152 | 22.8% | 94.2% | 4.4% |
| Fort des Moines | 2.64 | 34.2 | 13.2% | 32.7% | 8.9% | 1960 | $960 | 21.0% | 75.2% | 3.5% |
| Southwestern Hills | 2.24 | 40.1 | 8.7% | 38.3% | 6.0% | 1977 | $1,121 | 48.6% | 93.9% | 4.2% |
| South Park | 2.12 | 37.2 | 16.0% | 52.6% | 7.4% | 1964 | $977 | 18.5% | 82.4% | 9.1% |
| Indianola Hills | 2.40 | 35.8 | 17.3% | 33.8% | 11.0% | 1955 | $1,189 | 20.3% | 87.5% | 4.5% |
| Pioneer Park | 2.63 | 31.4 | 24.1% | 52.2% | 6.1% | 1983 | $1,110 | 18.3% | 73.8% | 7.5% |
| Downtown Des Moines | 1.34 | 28.0 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 12.6% | 1985 | $1,283 | 67.0% | 94.4% | 4.0% |
| Bloomfield-Allen | 2.84 | 37.2 | 14.7% | 16.8% | 5.8% | 2001 | $1,357 | 27.9% | 88.2% | 7.3% |
| Drake | 2.21 | 28.2 | 10.4% | 55.9% | 9.2% | 1944 | $1,140 | 38.4% | 87.5% | 7.0% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Tolleston, Gary, IN · North Rose Hill, Kirkland, WA · Avon Hill, Cambridge, MA · Mt Eden, Hayward, CA · Pecan Creek, San Tan Valley, AZ · Lincoln Village Proper, Stockton, CA · Leslie, Decatur, GA · Southwest Corridor, Billings, MT · International District, Seattle, WA · Gresham-North Central, Gresham, OR
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 Greater South Side. 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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