Population 5,140 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in John Ball Park
Household size in John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.84 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in John Ball Park average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.48, 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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.3 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.1 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.5 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.5, John Ball Park is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults and children. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 31.9, a smaller shift than nationally. Compared with other Grand Rapids neighborhoods, though, John Ball Park is older than most.
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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.2% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in John Ball Park: 5.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 6.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Grand Rapids 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 John Ball Park
Renters in John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.9% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.3% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.3% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over three in ten households in John Ball Park rent their homes (31.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Even so, renters make up a bigger share here than in the Grand Rapids area as a whole (25.4%). Nearly four in ten owners (37.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 5.8 points since 2006–10, 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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in John Ball Park is close to the national rate: 11.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Grand Rapids area overall (6.6%). Vacancy is up 4.0 points from 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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1943 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1943 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1942 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
John Ball Park is a place of older homes: half were built before 1942, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $723 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $770 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $857 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,395 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$672 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in John Ball Park costs $1,395 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the wider Grand Rapids area ($1,285). Rents are up $672 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.7% of household income on rent, just 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 John Ball Park
Bachelor's degrees in John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.4% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.8% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +21.3 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in John Ball Park: 49.8% 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. The share with a degree is up 21.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.8% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in John Ball Park: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 8.6 points, in line with the national trend. John Ball Park has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Grand Rapids 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 John Ball Park
| Period | John Ball Park | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in John Ball Park: 6.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 5.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
John Ball 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Ball Park | 2.58 | 32.5 | 5.6% | 31.3% | 11.0% | 1942 | $1,395 | 49.8% | 96.5% | 6.7% |
| Swan | 2.35 | 27.2 | 14.0% | 74.5% | 14.0% | 1952 | $1,458 | 35.8% | 91.4% | 6.2% |
| West Grand | 2.29 | 32.0 | 14.3% | 55.8% | 9.9% | 1945 | $1,319 | 32.5% | 82.6% | 8.2% |
| Heartside-Downtown | 1.43 | 35.4 | 4.4% | 90.9% | 9.6% | 1962 | $1,082 | 49.5% | 92.5% | 9.5% |
| Westside | 2.31 | 40.5 | 10.3% | 22.8% | 6.8% | 1971 | $1,237 | 43.9% | 95.4% | 1.2% |
| Roosevelt Park | 3.03 | 27.3 | 33.6% | 69.0% | 6.3% | 1946 | $1,263 | 13.1% | 58.3% | 9.2% |
| Belknap Lookout | 2.03 | 31.2 | 16.5% | 68.7% | 11.3% | 1969 | $1,452 | 51.5% | 91.6% | 2.5% |
| Heritage Hill | 1.93 | 32.0 | 6.5% | 68.5% | 7.4% | 1938 | $1,326 | 57.0% | 95.6% | 3.4% |
| South East Community | 3.18 | 25.9 | 31.3% | 73.1% | 6.9% | 1951 | $1,089 | 13.7% | 80.1% | 11.1% |
| Midtown-Grand Rapids | 1.90 | 29.4 | 10.9% | 60.9% | 8.5% | 1968 | $1,573 | 59.7% | 98.9% | 3.8% |
| East Hills | 1.98 | 31.0 | 6.6% | 66.2% | 7.1% | 1938 | $1,405 | 62.8% | 98.8% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Waltham Highlands, Waltham, MA · Braun's Farm, San Antonio, TX · Brookfield Village, Oakland, CA · Buckingham Lake-Crestwood, Albany, NY · Cardinal Hill-Pine Meadow, Lexington, KY · Downtown Ridgewood, Ridgewood, NJ · Tower Triangle, Aurora, CO · Town Center, Woodinville, WA · Victory, Minneapolis, MN · Villages at Rancho El Dorado, Silver Bell, AZ
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 John Ball 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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