Population 10,157 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Merle Hay
Household size in Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.08 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Merle Hay are small: just 2.08 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 2.24, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Des Moines neighborhoods have smaller households: only two of 22.
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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.5 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.0 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.8, the median age in Merle Hay is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in the wider Des Moines area, where the median age is 37.6. The median age has climbed from 38.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood is older.
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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Merle Hay than nationally: 9.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Merle Hay has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Des Moines neighborhoods.
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 Merle Hay
Renters in Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.5% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Merle Hay rent their homes (25.5%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Nearly three in ten owners (28.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Merle Hay than nationally: 6.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Des Moines area as a whole looks much the same. Merle Hay has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Des Moines neighborhoods.
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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Merle Hay 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. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, 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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $800 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $861 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,005 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,228 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$428 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Merle Hay pays $1,228 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $428 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Merle Hay
Bachelor's degrees in Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.5% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.5% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in Merle Hay (35.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Des Moines area overall (40.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.9 points, as it has nationally.
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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.8% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.3% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Merle Hay is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Des Moines area. Merle Hay has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Des Moines 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 Merle Hay
| Period | Merle Hay | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Merle Hay than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 1.3 points from 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).
Merle Hay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merle Hay | 2.08 | 40.8 | 9.7% | 25.5% | 6.0% | 1955 | $1,228 | 35.3% | 93.7% | 4.4% |
| Beaverdale | 1.99 | 42.0 | 6.5% | 24.1% | 7.7% | 1944 | $1,253 | 48.7% | 95.1% | 6.4% |
| Meredith | 2.57 | 36.0 | 10.7% | 44.9% | 11.5% | 1973 | $1,185 | 31.7% | 88.4% | 3.3% |
| Lower Beaver | 2.37 | 36.4 | 18.0% | 26.3% | 7.5% | 1962 | $1,460 | 34.0% | 87.0% | 2.2% |
| Drake | 2.21 | 28.2 | 10.4% | 55.9% | 9.2% | 1944 | $1,140 | 38.4% | 87.5% | 7.0% |
| Oak Park | 2.24 | 39.9 | 24.5% | 20.5% | 9.4% | 1943 | $1,207 | 24.1% | 85.7% | 1.6% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
| Downtown Des Moines | 1.34 | 28.0 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 12.6% | 1985 | $1,283 | 67.0% | 94.4% | 4.0% |
| Highland Park | 2.56 | 35.5 | 23.9% | 34.0% | 11.7% | 1950 | $1,054 | 11.6% | 78.9% | 6.5% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| Union Park | 2.77 | 33.9 | 16.5% | 20.2% | 7.1% | 1946 | $1,320 | 15.9% | 80.2% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Prospect Park, Minneapolis, MN · Ledroit Park, Washington, DC · Oak Creek, Irvine, CA · Oakdale, Atlanta, GA · Oakley, Cincinnati, OH · Oceanway, Jacksonville, FL · Olympic Hills, Seattle, WA · Outer Mission, San Francisco, CA · Palm Heights, San Antonio, TX · Pearl District, Portland, OR
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 Merle Hay. 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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