Population 9,390 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Highland Park
Household size in Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.38 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.18 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Highland Park run a little small, averaging 2.56 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.38 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the northwest.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.8 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.3 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.5 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.5, Highland Park is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the northwest.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.8% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 23.9% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +12.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Highland Park: 23.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 12.5 points, even as the national share fell. Highland Park has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Des Moines neighborhoods.
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 Highland Park
Renters in Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.4% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.4% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.0% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Highland Park rent their homes (34.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider Des Moines area (30.5%). About three in ten owners (29.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Highland Park than nationally: 11.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Highland Park is a place of older homes: half were built before 1950, 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 southwest.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $785 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $850 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $878 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,054 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$269 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Highland Park pays $1,054 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $269 a month since 2006–10, up 34%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 36.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 Highland Park
Bachelor's degrees in Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Highland Park: 11.6% 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 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.8% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.6% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.4% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.9% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in Highland Park never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is down 5.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Highland Park has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Des Moines neighborhoods.
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 Highland Park
| Period | Highland Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Highland Park: 6.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 3.3 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).
Highland Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Park | 2.56 | 35.5 | 23.9% | 34.0% | 11.7% | 1950 | $1,054 | 11.6% | 78.9% | 6.5% |
| Union Park | 2.77 | 33.9 | 16.5% | 20.2% | 7.1% | 1946 | $1,320 | 15.9% | 80.2% | 5.6% |
| Oak Park | 2.24 | 39.9 | 24.5% | 20.5% | 9.4% | 1943 | $1,207 | 24.1% | 85.7% | 1.6% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| Fairmont Park | 2.41 | 37.8 | 13.5% | 31.9% | 11.8% | 1954 | $1,248 | 13.3% | 89.4% | 5.8% |
| Douglas Acres | 2.64 | 36.8 | 17.1% | 38.7% | 6.1% | 1971 | $1,179 | 17.5% | 85.9% | 6.3% |
| Lower Beaver | 2.37 | 36.4 | 18.0% | 26.3% | 7.5% | 1962 | $1,460 | 34.0% | 87.0% | 2.2% |
| Accent | 2.76 | 38.8 | 15.0% | 18.6% | 4.2% | 1952 | $1,193 | 12.5% | 84.2% | 11.7% |
| Drake | 2.21 | 28.2 | 10.4% | 55.9% | 9.2% | 1944 | $1,140 | 38.4% | 87.5% | 7.0% |
| Fairground | 2.74 | 33.4 | 18.6% | 19.6% | 10.2% | 1940 | $1,117 | 14.8% | 78.5% | 8.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Avalon Park, Chicago, IL · Clarendon, Arlington, VA · City Park, Denver, CO · Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ · Central Terry, Billings, MT · Cartwright, Phoenix, AZ · Carmel Mountain, San Diego, CA · Burbank, Detroit, MI · Bryant Pattengill East, Ann Arbor, MI · Windsor Spring, Hephzibah, GA
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 Highland Park. 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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