Population 23,171 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Northwood
Household size in Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 2.64 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.86 | 2.67 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.74 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.06 | 2.84 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.20 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Northwood are large by national standards, averaging 3.06 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.85, 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.1 | 35.2 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.5 | 35.7 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 35.9 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.9 | 35.3 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +0.0 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Northwood is 42.9 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 41.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Irvine neighborhoods are older: only two of 24.
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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 6.8% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 7.4% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 7.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 9.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Northwood (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Irvine as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has risen 3.6 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 Northwood
Renters in Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 46.2% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.9% | 50.3% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 52.8% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.9% | 56.1% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +17.5 pts | +9.8 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Northwood rent their homes (36.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in Irvine as a whole (56.1%). Among owners, 36.4% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 17.5 points from 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 7.3% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 8.4% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 9.6% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Northwood: just 5.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Few Irvine neighborhoods have a lower vacancy rate: only two of 24.
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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1992 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1993 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1995 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 2001 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +9 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Northwood are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Irvine as a whole, where the median home dates to 2001. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,722 | $1,781 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,767 | $1,814 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,668 | $2,499 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,310 | $2,979 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,588 | +$1,198 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Northwood costs $3,310 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,588 a month since 2006–10, up 92%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.3% of the typical renter's income, 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 Northwood
Bachelor's degrees in Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.5% | 61.5% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 59.4% | 64.4% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.4% | 69.3% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 65.5% | 71.6% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +10.1 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Northwood is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (65.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Locally, though, the share is lower than in Irvine as a whole (71.6%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.1 points, mirroring the country.
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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.3% | 95.0% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.2% | 96.2% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.9% | 96.5% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.7% | 96.9% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +1.9 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Northwood: 94.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Irvine overall (96.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 1.6 points, 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Irvine | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 5.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 7.2% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.5% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Northwood is close to the national rate: 6.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Northwood 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood | 3.06 | 42.9 | 9.8% | 36.9% | 5.2% | 1983 | $3,310 | 65.5% | 94.7% | 6.0% |
| Northwood Point | 3.08 | 36.4 | 9.5% | 21.3% | 14.7% | 2003 | $3,501 | 72.9% | 98.4% | 2.7% |
| El Camino Real | 2.81 | 45.2 | 10.1% | 29.4% | 6.7% | 1975 | $3,034 | 59.2% | 95.7% | 7.4% |
| Lower Peters Canyon | 3.85 | 37.0 | 14.2% | 58.3% | 4.4% | 2003 | $3,290 | 71.5% | 97.4% | 5.5% |
| Woodbury | 2.84 | 36.1 | 10.0% | 56.1% | 5.6% | 2010 | $3,112 | 81.4% | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| Walnut Village | 3.09 | 38.4 | 7.6% | 30.6% | 7.3% | 1984 | $3,302 | 67.1% | 95.1% | 3.8% |
| Spectrum | 3.17 | 31.2 | 7.9% | 56.2% | 10.9% | 2014 | $3,340 | 73.1% | 98.1% | 5.8% |
| Orchard Hills | 3.08 | 37.5 | 11.2% | 24.0% | 15.9% | 2014 | $3,500 | 85.5% | 99.4% | 0.9% |
| Portola Springs | 3.07 | 38.3 | 6.6% | 47.3% | 8.0% | 2012 | $3,295 | 73.0% | 96.7% | 4.1% |
| Woodbridge | 2.74 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 40.0% | 6.6% | 1981 | $2,981 | 69.9% | 97.3% | 6.2% |
| Orange County Great Park | 3.17 | 32.6 | 11.4% | 36.7% | 14.0% | 2017 | $3,487 | 73.7% | 96.6% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bear Creek, Stockton, CA · Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA · Brightwood, Washington, DC · Campello, Brockton, MA · Charles Village, Baltimore, MD · Northwest Omaha, Omaha, NE · Seminary Hill, Alexandria, VA · San Luis Rey, Oceanside, CA · Roseway, Portland, OR · Rosedale, Bakersfield, CA
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 Northwood. 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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