Population 3,664 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Highlands
Household size in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.93 | 2.47 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.04 | 2.48 | 2.68 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.50 | 2.65 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.80 | 2.45 | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.01 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Highlands are small: just 1.80 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 1.93, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Highlands has the smallest households of any Wilmington neighborhood.
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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.6 | 40.6 | 38.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.4 | 40.7 | 39.3 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.7 | 41.4 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.1 | 42.4 | 40.4 | 43.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +1.8 | +1.9 | +3.6 | +2.3 |
Highlands skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Highlands has the oldest population of any Wilmington neighborhood.
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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 15.0% | 12.2% | 12.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 14.2% | 11.8% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 14.9% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.4% of households in Highlands, well below the national share of 11.6%. Highlands has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Wilmington neighborhood.
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 Highlands
Renters in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 32.1% | 30.2% | 26.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.5% | 34.1% | 32.1% | 28.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.6% | 36.0% | 32.7% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 33.8% | 33.2% | 27.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +1.7 pts | +3.0 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.5% of households in Highlands rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 42.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Few Wilmington neighborhoods have a lower share of renters: only two of 13.
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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 10.7% | 9.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.4% | 9.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 10.2% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 7.2% | 6.9% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.2 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.3% of homes in Highlands are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Compared with other Wilmington neighborhoods, Highlands has a lower vacancy rate than most.
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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1958 | 1964 | 1979 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1959 | 1965 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1960 | 1965 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1961 | 1968 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Highlands is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1955, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,123 | $1,014 | $1,049 | $1,037 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $959 | $1,070 | $1,147 | $1,109 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,426 | $1,211 | $1,281 | $1,228 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,780 | $1,498 | $1,631 | $1,514 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$656 | +$484 | +$582 | +$477 | +$606 |
Rent in Highlands runs $1,780 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 25.0% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Highlands has the highest rents of any Wilmington neighborhood.
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 Highlands
Bachelor's degrees in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.0% | 33.4% | 32.7% | 27.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 65.4% | 35.4% | 34.4% | 29.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.0% | 36.9% | 37.9% | 31.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 76.8% | 40.4% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +7.0 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Highlands is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (76.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Highlands has the highest share of college graduates of any Wilmington neighborhood.
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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.2% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 87.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.2% | 88.6% | 88.9% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.7% | 90.9% | 90.5% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.7% | 91.4% | 91.9% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Highlands: 98.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. No other Wilmington neighborhood has 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 Highlands
| Period | Highlands | Wilmington | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 8.0% | 8.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 9.1% | 10.2% | 8.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.4% | 5.1% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Highlands has been low: just 0.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Highlands has the lowest unemployment rate of any Wilmington neighborhood. 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).
Highlands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | 1.80 | 49.1 | 3.4% | 22.5% | 5.3% | 1955 | $1,780 | 76.8% | 98.7% | 0.4% |
| The Flats | 2.32 | 40.5 | 26.2% | 52.6% | 11.7% | 1947 | $1,190 | 17.1% | 87.7% | 10.3% |
| Cool Springs | 1.83 | 48.4 | 12.9% | 60.0% | 15.9% | 1952 | $1,280 | 39.9% | 86.4% | 5.7% |
| Hilltop | 2.62 | 37.1 | 22.5% | 49.8% | 10.0% | 1942 | $1,282 | 25.6% | 85.7% | 8.0% |
| Baynard Village | 2.27 | 42.8 | 16.1% | 52.1% | 8.2% | 1939 | $1,330 | 34.5% | 85.8% | 4.6% |
| Brandywine Village | 2.36 | 37.0 | 14.3% | 54.5% | 11.4% | 1962 | $1,086 | 29.6% | 90.2% | 12.6% |
| Hedgeville | 2.94 | 34.7 | 28.1% | 44.1% | 9.4% | 1944 | $1,302 | 18.7% | 80.1% | 2.9% |
| 9th Ward | 2.84 | 34.1 | 21.4% | 62.4% | 10.1% | 1956 | $1,230 | 21.4% | 91.4% | 7.9% |
| Browntown | 1.99 | 33.9 | 27.8% | 49.7% | 7.3% | 1998 | $1,431 | 44.7% | 94.9% | 4.4% |
| Downtown | 2.28 | 33.5 | 30.1% | 72.5% | 21.5% | 1953 | $1,074 | 20.1% | 86.2% | 8.9% |
| Northwest Wilmington | 2.13 | 47.2 | 17.0% | 40.4% | 4.9% | 1954 | $1,296 | 38.3% | 96.5% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Fairwood and Robandee, Kansas City, MO · Wedge, Woodinville, WA · Wellington, Manassas, VA · Wendover-Sedgewood, Charlotte, NC · West Central, Fort Wayne, IN · Hollywood, Munster, IN · West Laurel, Laurel, MD · Heistand, Madison, WI · Hawaiian Acres, Keaau, HI · Harbordale, Fort Lauderdale, 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 Highlands. 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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