Population 5,038 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Old Town
Household size in Old Town
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.00 | 2.33 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.43 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.12 | 2.35 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.51 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.28 | +0.18 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Old Town is a place of small households, averaging 2.28 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.00, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the north.
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
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 39.8 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 40.2 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 41.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.2 | 40.2 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +0.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Old Town is 37.2 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has dropped from 38.1 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the north.
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
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 12.2% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 11.9% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +0.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Old Town: 16.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.8 points, 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 Old Town
Renters in Old Town
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.1% | 45.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.9% | 47.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.5% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 69.0% | 45.2% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Old Town rent: 69.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. More than a quarter of owners (27.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 7.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 10.0% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 11.3% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 11.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +3.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Old Town: 14.0% 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. Vacancy is up 5.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1959 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1960 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1962 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1962 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +2 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Old Town is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1947, 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 east, while the west 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 Old Town
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $734 | $901 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $825 | $996 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $851 | $1,144 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,232 | $1,499 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$498 | +$599 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Old Town costs $1,232 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $498 a month since 2006–10, up 68%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the north.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Old Town
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7% | 23.9% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 25.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 28.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.2% | 29.5% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Old Town: 24.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has edged up 1.4 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northwest.
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
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.3% | 89.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.5% | 88.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 89.5% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.6% | 90.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +0.5 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Old Town never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, 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 Old Town
| Period | Old Town | Eureka | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 8.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 7.0% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 7.2% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Old Town runs well above the national rate: 12.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 3.2 points, 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).
Old Town 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 | 2.28 | 37.2 | 16.0% | 69.0% | 14.0% | 1947 | $1,232 | 24.2% | 87.6% | 12.2% |
| The West Side | 2.43 | 37.4 | 17.8% | 68.8% | 14.7% | 1945 | $1,417 | 27.5% | 85.1% | 12.6% |
| Cutten | 2.60 | 41.4 | 13.2% | 31.3% | 8.1% | 1970 | $1,685 | 33.1% | 96.7% | 1.4% |
| South Bay | 2.77 | 41.7 | 8.8% | 35.6% | 11.1% | 1975 | $1,617 | 23.0% | 88.2% | 6.5% |
| Jacoby Creek | 2.33 | 49.6 | 9.5% | 20.7% | 7.7% | 1967 | $1,857 | 58.4% | 96.9% | 3.8% |
| Rohnerville | 2.51 | 41.1 | 15.3% | 37.7% | 5.9% | 1979 | $1,255 | 25.4% | 87.3% | 5.7% |
| Happy Valley | 2.92 | 43.4 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 7.1% | 1984 | $1,031 | 12.9% | 83.3% | 8.3% |
| Enterprise | 2.16 | 36.8 | 20.3% | 67.1% | 8.3% | 1978 | $1,123 | 12.0% | 90.2% | 6.1% |
| Starview | 3.01 | 34.8 | 8.2% | 30.1% | 4.7% | 1981 | $1,568 | 19.4% | 95.8% | 2.0% |
| Columbia | 2.57 | 43.0 | 5.0% | 18.3% | 7.8% | 1991 | $1,650 | 36.0% | 96.0% | 5.8% |
| Pacheco | 2.48 | 52.0 | 6.3% | 16.5% | 7.5% | 1977 | $1,493 | 25.1% | 91.7% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Western Corridor, Green Bay, WI · Center Bluff, Peoria, IL · Burlingame Gate, Burlingame, CA · West End, Duluth, MN · Biedeman, Camden, NJ · Berger, Dolton, IL · West Walnut, Allentown, PA · Belle Haven, Menlo Park, CA · Valencia, Buckeye, AZ · Westgate Vecinos, Albuquerque, NM
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. 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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