Population 79,460 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Northwest
Household size in Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.38 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Northwest are small: just 2.38 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. Households are largest in the center 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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.2 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Northwest is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has crept up from 37.5 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the east.
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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Northwest (16.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.7 points since 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 Northwest
Renters in Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.8% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.3% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.5% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Northwest than nationally: 46.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 30.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the center. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.1 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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Northwest than nationally: 7.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Virginia Beach area as a whole looks much the same.
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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Northwest was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the center 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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,158 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,318 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,458 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,818 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$660 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Northwest runs $1,818 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $660 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.7% 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 southwest; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Northwest
Bachelor's degrees in Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.4% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.8% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.0% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in Northwest (35.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.9 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southwest.
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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.4% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.4% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Northwest is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The Virginia Beach area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.1 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 Northwest
| Period | Northwest | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Northwest runs below the national rate: 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.9 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).
Northwest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest | 2.38 | 38.1 | 16.0% | 46.5% | 7.9% | 1981 | $1,818 | 35.0% | 93.4% | 3.7% |
| US Navy Little Creek Amphibious Base | 3.42 | 24.3 | 20.6% | 99.1% | 5.3% | 1980 | $2,088 | 26.3% | 98.8% | 3.0% |
| Huntington-Jefferson | 2.48 | 44.5 | 5.6% | 28.0% | 6.7% | 1972 | $1,809 | 31.3% | 95.6% | 1.3% |
| Kempsville Gardens | 2.42 | 39.5 | 20.4% | 28.3% | 2.8% | 1985 | $1,852 | 31.4% | 91.7% | 2.7% |
| North Central | 2.56 | 40.4 | 12.6% | 37.6% | 5.3% | 1976 | $1,786 | 45.7% | 96.1% | 4.7% |
| East Ocean View | 2.03 | 37.9 | 12.7% | 52.2% | 16.0% | 1997 | $1,619 | 51.1% | 92.3% | 2.8% |
| Roosevelt Gardens Area | 2.40 | 40.1 | 11.2% | 29.1% | 8.0% | 1960 | $1,485 | 27.6% | 90.6% | 7.2% |
| Larrymore Lawns | 2.31 | 33.0 | 19.1% | 78.9% | 11.6% | 1974 | $1,394 | 24.5% | 95.3% | 2.7% |
| Ballentine Place | 2.62 | 37.2 | 15.1% | 45.0% | 9.3% | 1954 | $1,261 | 17.7% | 78.9% | 5.6% |
| Fairmont Park | 2.61 | 39.6 | 21.1% | 45.1% | 14.4% | 1959 | $1,373 | 19.2% | 86.3% | 7.3% |
| Indian River | 2.70 | 37.7 | 21.0% | 45.3% | 4.7% | 1976 | $1,453 | 26.6% | 88.7% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: North Valley, San Jose, CA · Far Rockaway, Queens, NY · Galleria-Uptown, Houston, TX · Hickory Ridge-South Riverdale, Memphis, TN · Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA · Lake View, Chicago, IL · Logan Square, Chicago, IL · Lower East Side, Manhattan, NY · North Long Beach, Long Beach, CA · North, Raleigh, NC
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 Northwest. 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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