Population 31,549 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Holmesburg
Household size in Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Holmesburg average 2.67 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Philadelphia area overall, where it has 2.57 people. Household size has climbed from 2.56 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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.4 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.7 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Holmesburg are younger than 38.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the Philadelphia area overall, where the median age is 40.4. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the north.
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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in five households in Holmesburg (21.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 4.7 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 Holmesburg
Renters in Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.7% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.9% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.8% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Holmesburg than nationally: 40.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 32.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.1 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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.0% of homes in Holmesburg are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Philadelphia's 64 neighborhoods, only three have 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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Holmesburg is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, 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 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $895 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $972 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,027 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,320 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$425 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Holmesburg runs $1,320 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $425 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Holmesburg
Bachelor's degrees in Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Holmesburg: 22.4% 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 risen 9.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.6% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.3% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.8% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.9% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Holmesburg never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.3 points, as it has nationally.
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 Holmesburg
| Period | Holmesburg | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Holmesburg: 9.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Holmesburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmesburg | 2.67 | 38.6 | 21.1% | 40.8% | 5.0% | 1960 | $1,320 | 22.4% | 85.9% | 9.9% |
| Academy Gardens | 2.53 | 43.5 | 14.5% | 35.1% | 4.9% | 1963 | $1,696 | 28.2% | 89.8% | 3.8% |
| Mayfield | 2.89 | 37.2 | 18.3% | 36.6% | 10.8% | 1953 | $1,619 | 18.3% | 78.1% | 10.4% |
| Wissanoning | 2.65 | 35.6 | 28.1% | 37.5% | 6.8% | 1950 | $1,276 | 15.7% | 83.2% | 11.7% |
| Rhawnhurst | 2.67 | 40.4 | 12.9% | 50.4% | 7.4% | 1960 | $1,363 | 25.6% | 89.7% | 5.1% |
| Oxford Circle | 3.01 | 34.1 | 22.6% | 42.3% | 7.6% | 1955 | $1,504 | 16.9% | 76.2% | 9.7% |
| Andalusia | 2.09 | 47.1 | 9.0% | 70.5% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,549 | 31.5% | 91.4% | 6.3% |
| Torresdale | 2.48 | 40.6 | 9.7% | 28.5% | 4.8% | 1967 | $1,391 | 30.6% | 92.2% | 6.7% |
| Bustleton | 2.40 | 46.7 | 7.5% | 36.6% | 3.3% | 1968 | $1,392 | 38.3% | 90.4% | 3.6% |
| Frankford | 2.73 | 35.0 | 25.2% | 45.6% | 9.5% | 1944 | $1,140 | 13.5% | 84.5% | 13.4% |
| Fox Chase-Burholme | 2.34 | 43.5 | 9.8% | 44.2% | 6.7% | 1962 | $1,154 | 30.7% | 90.0% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Unionport, Bronx, NY · Green Valley North, Henderson, NV · Berryessa, San Jose, CA · Harbor Gateway, Torrance, CA · Highlands-Perkins, Baton Rouge, LA · Beacon Hill, Seattle, WA · Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CA · Bay Area, Corpus Christi, TX · Avondale, Chicago, IL · Auburndale, Queens, NY
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 Holmesburg. 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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