Population 3,733 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Old Town-Chinatown
Household size in Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.23 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.23 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.19 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.45 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.22 | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Old Town-Chinatown are small: just 1.45 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 has climbed from 1.23 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Of Portland's 64 neighborhoods, only two have smaller households.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 37.3 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.4 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.4 | 39.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.1 | 41.0 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +3.7 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Old Town-Chinatown skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.1, against 40.1 nationally. The picture is much the same across the Portland area. Old Town-Chinatown is older than the great majority of Portland neighborhoods.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.6% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.0% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Old Town-Chinatown: 1.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Old Town-Chinatown has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Portland neighborhood.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
Renters in Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.9% | 36.6% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 79.6% | 39.1% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.4% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 38.3% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Old Town-Chinatown: 91.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly six in ten owners (56.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. No other Portland neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Old Town-Chinatown: 19.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Old Town-Chinatown has the highest vacancy rate of any Portland neighborhood.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1977 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1978 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1980 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1981 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | −10 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Old Town-Chinatown are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. The Portland area as a whole looks much the same. Old Town-Chinatown has newer homes than the great majority of Portland neighborhoods.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $822 | $961 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $942 | $1,105 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $829 | $1,374 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,119 | $1,794 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$297 | +$833 | +$731 | +$606 |
The median renter in Old Town-Chinatown pays $1,119 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 39.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Old Town-Chinatown has the lowest rents of any Portland neighborhood.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
Bachelor's degrees in Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6% | 33.3% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.2% | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.8% | 39.2% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.9% | 42.6% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Old Town-Chinatown (36.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Portland area (42.6%). Old Town-Chinatown has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Portland neighborhoods.
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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.0% | 90.0% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 90.6% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 91.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 93.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Old Town-Chinatown never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Old Town-Chinatown has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Portland 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 Old Town-Chinatown
| Period | Old Town-Chinatown | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 23.9% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −4.0 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Old Town-Chinatown runs well above the national rate: 10.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other Portland neighborhood has higher unemployment. 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).
Old Town-Chinatown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town-Chinatown | 1.45 | 42.1 | 1.4% | 91.9% | 19.7% | 1984 | $1,119 | 36.9% | 87.7% | 10.5% |
| Pearl District | 1.46 | 40.2 | 3.1% | 72.9% | 14.1% | 2007 | $1,812 | 75.3% | 99.4% | 3.6% |
| University District | 1.41 | 40.1 | 2.8% | 84.8% | 12.2% | 1987 | $1,399 | 53.1% | 92.1% | 7.9% |
| Northwest | 1.52 | 36.9 | 2.8% | 79.2% | 9.2% | 1966 | $1,663 | 68.8% | 96.9% | 5.5% |
| Slabtown | 1.42 | 33.6 | 1.7% | 85.6% | 8.0% | 2003 | $1,796 | 69.6% | 99.1% | 9.8% |
| Eliot | 1.69 | 37.1 | 11.6% | 79.3% | 6.6% | 1989 | $1,674 | 58.2% | 97.3% | 5.9% |
| Buckman | 1.53 | 34.9 | 2.0% | 85.5% | 6.8% | 1969 | $1,594 | 62.4% | 98.8% | 5.9% |
| Irvington | 1.94 | 39.5 | 4.9% | 58.8% | 8.3% | 1959 | $2,042 | 70.0% | 98.9% | 6.2% |
| Kerns | 1.50 | 34.2 | 5.7% | 82.9% | 9.0% | 1968 | $1,525 | 61.7% | 96.0% | 8.4% |
| Hosford-Abernethy | 2.09 | 39.5 | 4.4% | 51.4% | 9.1% | 1944 | $1,785 | 66.1% | 99.5% | 9.0% |
| Homestead | 1.84 | 38.1 | 8.0% | 65.2% | 7.7% | 1966 | $1,632 | 75.9% | 97.9% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southland, San Angelo, TX · Mission Hills-San Diego, San Diego, CA · Newell South, Charlotte, NC · Adams, Huntington Beach, CA · Northgate, Seattle, WA · Old Hill, Springfield, MA · Rosemont, Portland, ME · South Salt Creek, Lincoln, NE · South University, Eugene, OR · Milneburg, New Orleans, LA
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 Old Town-Chinatown. 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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