Population 6,700 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lake Balboa
Household size in Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.09 | 3.02 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.96 | 3.01 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.06 | 2.93 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.82 | 2.77 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | −0.25 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Lake Balboa average 2.82 people, above the national 2.65, so families with children are more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.09, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southeast.
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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0 | 33.5 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.2 | 34.3 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.6 | 36.1 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.9 | 37.5 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +4.0 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Lake Balboa is 36.9 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 34.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 16.0% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 16.4% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 12.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 13.3% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Lake Balboa (15.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Lake Balboa
Renters in Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.4% | 64.7% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 52.4% | 66.5% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.6% | 67.7% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 58.3% | 66.7% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +2.0 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Lake Balboa rent: 58.3% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in Van Nuys as a whole (66.7%). 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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 6.7% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 5.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 5.2% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.0% of homes in Lake Balboa are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Van Nuys as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1966 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1966 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1968 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1969 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Lake Balboa is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west 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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,205 | $1,114 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,293 | $1,186 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,693 | $1,477 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,201 | $2,000 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$996 | +$887 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lake Balboa costs $2,201 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $996 a month since 2006–10, up 83%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 38.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Lake Balboa
Bachelor's degrees in Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.0% | 22.2% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 24.4% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.1% | 27.7% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.3% | 31.4% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +9.2 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Lake Balboa than nationally: 29.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the east.
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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.6% | 72.5% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.7% | 73.5% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.7% | 76.7% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.0% | 77.6% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in Lake Balboa never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Van Nuys as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, 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 Lake Balboa
| Period | Lake Balboa | Van Nuys | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.7% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 11.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 6.6% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 8.5% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −0.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lake Balboa runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.8 points since 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).
Lake Balboa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Balboa | 2.82 | 36.9 | 15.1% | 58.3% | 4.0% | 1966 | $2,201 | 29.3% | 79.0% | 4.3% |
| Arleta | 4.09 | 36.7 | 18.3% | 37.4% | 3.3% | 1965 | $2,098 | 13.0% | 59.3% | 6.9% |
| Garnsey | 2.27 | 39.6 | 7.2% | 71.4% | 6.7% | 1968 | $2,040 | 48.3% | 91.4% | 7.4% |
| Beverly Glen | 2.18 | 43.1 | 5.5% | 51.7% | 6.9% | 1970 | $2,614 | 64.1% | 97.4% | 8.3% |
| Bel Air | 2.53 | 45.2 | 9.3% | 20.3% | 11.9% | 1966 | $2,876 | 77.1% | 96.2% | 6.9% |
| Portar Ranch | 2.85 | 43.1 | 7.5% | 20.3% | 6.5% | 1995 | $3,336 | 63.8% | 96.7% | 3.6% |
| Toluca Lake | 2.14 | 45.3 | 7.4% | 58.2% | 7.4% | 1960 | $2,327 | 56.8% | 98.3% | 6.7% |
| Shadow Hills | 2.88 | 45.2 | 7.9% | 19.5% | 9.2% | 1962 | $2,525 | 36.6% | 91.4% | 8.9% |
| Brentwood | 2.48 | 45.8 | 5.2% | 31.2% | 10.4% | 1962 | $3,151 | 79.3% | 97.9% | 6.0% |
| Lakeview Terrace | 3.35 | 40.0 | 7.1% | 34.3% | 6.2% | 1968 | $2,133 | 23.6% | 78.9% | 6.8% |
| Glendale | 1.90 | 41.6 | 7.0% | 55.0% | 20.9% | 1969 | $2,501 | 67.3% | 95.6% | 9.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Lorain, Lorain, OH · Downtown Annapolis, Annapolis, MD · Downtown Jacinto City, Jacinto City, TX · Downtown Newport News, Newport News, VA · Downtown Norfolk, Norfolk, VA · East Durham, Durham, NC · Eastland-Wilora Lake, Charlotte, NC · El Dorado Park, Long Beach, CA · Lacy, Santa Ana, CA · Meadowlane, Lincoln, NE
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 Lake Balboa. 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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