Population 3,591 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oak Park
Household size in Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Oak Park are small: just 2.24 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.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.7 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.0 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.7 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.2 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 39.9, the median age in Oak Park 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 Des Moines area as a whole, where the median age is 37.6. The median age has climbed from 32.7 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +13.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about a quarter of households in Oak Park (24.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Oak Park
Renters in Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.4% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.4% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Oak Park is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 26.5% have no mortgage at all, 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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Oak Park is close to the national rate: 9.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Des Moines area (7.0%).
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1941 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1943 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Oak Park is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1943, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has older homes.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $736 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $722 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $958 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,207 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$471 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Oak Park pays $1,207 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of the Des Moines area. The typical renter here spends 38.5% 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 Oak Park
Bachelor's degrees in Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Oak Park have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.1%, against 35.6% 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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.2% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.1% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.0% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.7% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Oak Park never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.6% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Oak Park has been low: just 1.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Oak Park has the lowest unemployment rate of any Des Moines neighborhood. 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).
Oak Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Park | 2.24 | 39.9 | 24.5% | 20.5% | 9.4% | 1943 | $1,207 | 24.1% | 85.7% | 1.6% |
| Highland Park | 2.56 | 35.5 | 23.9% | 34.0% | 11.7% | 1950 | $1,054 | 11.6% | 78.9% | 6.5% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
| Union Park | 2.77 | 33.9 | 16.5% | 20.2% | 7.1% | 1946 | $1,320 | 15.9% | 80.2% | 5.6% |
| Lower Beaver | 2.37 | 36.4 | 18.0% | 26.3% | 7.5% | 1962 | $1,460 | 34.0% | 87.0% | 2.2% |
| Beaverdale | 1.99 | 42.0 | 6.5% | 24.1% | 7.7% | 1944 | $1,253 | 48.7% | 95.1% | 6.4% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| Drake | 2.21 | 28.2 | 10.4% | 55.9% | 9.2% | 1944 | $1,140 | 38.4% | 87.5% | 7.0% |
| Meredith | 2.57 | 36.0 | 10.7% | 44.9% | 11.5% | 1973 | $1,185 | 31.7% | 88.4% | 3.3% |
| Downtown Des Moines | 1.34 | 28.0 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 12.6% | 1985 | $1,283 | 67.0% | 94.4% | 4.0% |
| Fairmont Park | 2.41 | 37.8 | 13.5% | 31.9% | 11.8% | 1954 | $1,248 | 13.3% | 89.4% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Fairview, Pompano Beach, FL · Jackson Park, Mountain View, CA · Babcock, Buffalo, NY · Wayne State, Detroit, MI · Waterway Village, Kissimmee, FL · South Duxbury, Duxbury, MA · Sayles Boulevard Area, Abilene, TX · Saint Joseph, Louisville, KY · New Village, New River, AZ · Miramar, Jacksonville, FL
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 Oak Park. 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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