Population 7,952 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Palmer
Household size in Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.44 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.52 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.46 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.39 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.06 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Palmer has 2.41 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.45 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3 | 35.3 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.5 | 35.7 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.5 | 36.3 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 28.8 | 36.4 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.5 | +1.1 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 28.8, Palmer is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 32.3 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only one other Newport News neighborhood is younger.
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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 15.7% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 15.6% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 16.0% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 15.7% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +13.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head more than one in five households in Palmer (23.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 13.1 points, even as the national share fell. Of Newport News' 14 neighborhoods, only two have 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 Palmer
Renters in Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 59.3% | 47.4% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.0% | 49.0% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 55.8% | 50.7% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 66.4% | 52.0% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Palmer: 66.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than four in ten owners (45.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 7.1 points since 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 8.2% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 11.2% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 11.1% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 8.0% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Palmer: 6.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.6 points, 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1973 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1975 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1977 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1978 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Palmer is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Palmer has the newest homes of any Newport News neighborhood.
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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,009 | $956 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,106 | $1,098 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,230 | $1,168 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,610 | $1,428 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$601 | +$472 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Palmer runs $1,610 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in Newport News overall ($1,428). Rent has climbed $601 a month since 2006–10, up 60%, a slower climb than the nation's. Palmer has the highest rents of any Newport News 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 Palmer
Bachelor's degrees in Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 23.0% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.9% | 23.8% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.8% | 26.0% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 29.4% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.8 pts | +6.4 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Palmer as nationally: 34.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in Newport News as a whole (29.4%). The share with a degree is up 12.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Newport News' 14 neighborhoods, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.9% | 88.8% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.8% | 88.4% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.1% | 90.5% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.9% | 90.3% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Palmer is close to the national rate: 89.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 1.0 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Newport News | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 8.0% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 9.8% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 6.0% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Palmer runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 4.4 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).
Palmer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer | 2.41 | 28.8 | 23.0% | 66.4% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,610 | 34.8% | 89.9% | 4.3% |
| Deer Park | 2.15 | 34.2 | 12.3% | 75.2% | 10.4% | 1985 | $1,394 | 39.1% | 92.3% | 3.9% |
| Jenkins | 2.59 | 25.4 | 28.8% | 78.1% | 9.3% | 1979 | $1,423 | 26.7% | 88.6% | 3.8% |
| Saunders | 1.83 | 54.7 | 3.3% | 59.7% | 2.9% | 1977 | $796 | 26.8% | 93.5% | 5.3% |
| Christopher Newport | 2.27 | 29.4 | 11.6% | 51.6% | 7.5% | 1982 | $1,234 | 41.4% | 75.4% | 10.9% |
| Denbigh | 2.32 | 38.1 | 17.6% | 57.4% | 9.6% | 1980 | $1,267 | 19.0% | 89.6% | 4.7% |
| Epes | 2.59 | 37.1 | 23.1% | 64.6% | 11.1% | 1982 | $1,369 | 16.0% | 91.4% | 10.4% |
| McIntosh | 1.93 | 41.7 | 11.1% | 72.8% | 3.0% | 1987 | $1,165 | 27.8% | 94.2% | 3.0% |
| Magruder | 2.55 | 33.6 | 13.4% | 43.4% | 5.4% | 1985 | $1,546 | 28.8% | 95.4% | 6.2% |
| Reservoir | 2.62 | 32.3 | 17.3% | 57.4% | 8.1% | 1991 | $1,376 | 26.4% | 92.5% | 5.4% |
| Northampton | 2.30 | 40.0 | 15.9% | 32.5% | 5.3% | 1978 | $1,525 | 28.8% | 92.8% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Starmount Forest-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC · Central Business District, Newark, NJ · Central, Raleigh, NC · Clarke Square, Milwaukee, WI · College Park, Orlando, FL · Delhi, Santa Ana, CA · Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA · Seward Park, Seattle, WA · Snow Woods, Dearborn, MI · Alki, Seattle, WA
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 Palmer. 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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