Population 10,417 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pearl District
Household size in Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.42 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.50 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.42 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.46 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Pearl District are small: just 1.46 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 crept up from 1.42 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only three of Portland's 64 neighborhoods 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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 37.3 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.5 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 39.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 41.0 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +3.7 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 40.2, the median age in Pearl District is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 1.8% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 1.4% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Pearl District: 3.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points, mirroring the country. Of Portland's 64 neighborhoods, only five have a lower 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 Pearl District
Renters in Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.7% | 36.6% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 66.1% | 39.1% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.7% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 72.9% | 38.3% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +1.7 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Pearl District rent: 72.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 36.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.1% of the housing in Pearl District, 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 has fallen 4.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1977 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 2000 | 1978 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2002 | 1980 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2007 | 1981 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +28 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Pearl District is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2007, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Pearl District has the newest homes of any Portland 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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $973 | $961 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,356 | $1,105 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,354 | $1,374 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,812 | $1,794 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$840 | +$833 | +$731 | +$606 |
The median renter in Pearl District pays $1,812 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $840 a month since 2006–10, up 86%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Pearl District
Bachelor's degrees in Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.6% | 33.3% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 70.1% | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.2% | 39.2% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 75.3% | 42.6% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Pearl District: 75.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 13.7 points since 2006–10, 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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.3% | 90.0% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.5% | 90.6% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.4% | 91.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.4% | 93.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Pearl District: 99.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.0 points, in line with the national trend. Few Portland neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates: only three of 64.
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 Pearl District
| Period | Pearl District | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Pearl District than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 8.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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).
Pearl District 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl District | 1.46 | 40.2 | 3.1% | 72.9% | 14.1% | 2007 | $1,812 | 75.3% | 99.4% | 3.6% |
| Old Town-Chinatown | 1.45 | 42.1 | 1.4% | 91.9% | 19.7% | 1984 | $1,119 | 36.9% | 87.7% | 10.5% |
| Slabtown | 1.42 | 33.6 | 1.7% | 85.6% | 8.0% | 2003 | $1,796 | 69.6% | 99.1% | 9.8% |
| Northwest | 1.52 | 36.9 | 2.8% | 79.2% | 9.2% | 1966 | $1,663 | 68.8% | 96.9% | 5.5% |
| University District | 1.41 | 40.1 | 2.8% | 84.8% | 12.2% | 1987 | $1,399 | 53.1% | 92.1% | 7.9% |
| Eliot | 1.69 | 37.1 | 11.6% | 79.3% | 6.6% | 1989 | $1,674 | 58.2% | 97.3% | 5.9% |
| Irvington | 1.94 | 39.5 | 4.9% | 58.8% | 8.3% | 1959 | $2,042 | 70.0% | 98.9% | 6.2% |
| Buckman | 1.53 | 34.9 | 2.0% | 85.5% | 6.8% | 1969 | $1,594 | 62.4% | 98.8% | 5.9% |
| Boise | 1.85 | 36.1 | 8.6% | 68.9% | 8.3% | 1969 | $1,661 | 63.7% | 93.5% | 8.0% |
| Kerns | 1.50 | 34.2 | 5.7% | 82.9% | 9.0% | 1968 | $1,525 | 61.7% | 96.0% | 8.4% |
| Southwest Hills | 2.28 | 42.7 | 6.4% | 28.0% | 6.8% | 1956 | $1,750 | 83.8% | 99.8% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Rose Park, Salt Lake City, UT · Mendenhall Valley, Juneau, AK · College Glen, Sacramento, CA · Brick Church Bellshire, Nashville, TN · Downtown Brownsville, Brownsville, TX · Annandale-on-Hudson, Staten Island, NY · Lincoln Village, Milwaukee, WI · Westside, Atlantic City, NJ · Westmont, Everett, WA · West Colfax, Denver, CO
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 Pearl District. 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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