Population 6,713 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kerns
Household size in Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.65 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.76 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.70 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.50 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Kerns is a place of small households, averaging 1.50 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 1.65 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only four of Portland's 64 neighborhoods have smaller households.
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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9 | 37.3 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.8 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.9 | 39.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.2 | 41.0 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +3.7 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Kerns is young: half of its residents are under 34.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 34.9, even as the national median rose. Few Portland neighborhoods are younger: only four of 64.
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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Kerns: 5.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 1.2 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 Kerns
Renters in Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.1% | 36.6% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.0% | 39.1% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.9% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 82.9% | 38.3% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Kerns rent: 82.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Nearly a quarter of owners (23.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 7.8 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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Kerns as nationally: 9.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Portland area (7.1%). Vacancy has risen 2.9 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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1977 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1943 | 1978 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1980 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1981 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +29 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Kerns is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1939 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $734 | $961 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $850 | $1,105 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,240 | $1,374 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,525 | $1,794 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$791 | +$833 | +$731 | +$606 |
The median renter in Kerns pays $1,525 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Portland area overall ($1,794). Rent has climbed $791 a month since 2006–10, up 108%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.4% 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 Kerns
Bachelor's degrees in Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9% | 33.3% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 57.7% | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.4% | 39.2% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.7% | 42.6% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.8 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Kerns is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (61.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 12.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east 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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.1% | 90.0% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.5% | 90.6% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.5% | 91.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.0% | 93.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Kerns: 96.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Kerns
| Period | Kerns | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Kerns runs well above the national rate: 8.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Kerns 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerns | 1.50 | 34.2 | 5.7% | 82.9% | 9.0% | 1968 | $1,525 | 61.7% | 96.0% | 8.4% |
| Buckman | 1.53 | 34.9 | 2.0% | 85.5% | 6.8% | 1969 | $1,594 | 62.4% | 98.8% | 5.9% |
| Irvington | 1.94 | 39.5 | 4.9% | 58.8% | 8.3% | 1959 | $2,042 | 70.0% | 98.9% | 6.2% |
| Hosford-Abernethy | 2.09 | 39.5 | 4.4% | 51.4% | 9.1% | 1944 | $1,785 | 66.1% | 99.5% | 9.0% |
| Center | 2.24 | 42.9 | 4.6% | 42.5% | 5.5% | 1949 | $1,767 | 69.5% | 96.2% | 4.1% |
| Alameda | 2.61 | 41.2 | 5.0% | 20.3% | 6.6% | 1945 | $2,550 | 79.0% | 99.0% | 2.1% |
| Richmond | 2.02 | 40.0 | 4.3% | 49.2% | 6.1% | 1946 | $1,708 | 71.0% | 98.4% | 4.5% |
| Old Town-Chinatown | 1.45 | 42.1 | 1.4% | 91.9% | 19.7% | 1984 | $1,119 | 36.9% | 87.7% | 10.5% |
| Eliot | 1.69 | 37.1 | 11.6% | 79.3% | 6.6% | 1989 | $1,674 | 58.2% | 97.3% | 5.9% |
| Pearl District | 1.46 | 40.2 | 3.1% | 72.9% | 14.1% | 2007 | $1,812 | 75.3% | 99.4% | 3.6% |
| Brooklyn | 2.16 | 37.1 | 5.8% | 58.3% | 4.6% | 1958 | $1,528 | 55.7% | 93.8% | 12.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Royal Poinciana, Hollywood, FL · Euclid-St Paul, St. Petersburg, FL · Foothills, Henderson, NV · Franklin Heights, Milwaukee, WI · Gresham-Kelly Creek, Gresham, OR · Hethwood-Prices Fork, Blacksburg, VA · Hillcrest-Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA · Homaker Park, Bakersfield, CA · La Mesa, Albuquerque, NM · Laredo Highline, Aurora, CO
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 Kerns. 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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