Population 16,750 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Playa del Ray
Household size in Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.99 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.91 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.02 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.02 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Playa del Ray are small: just 2.02 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. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the center.
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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.1 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.4 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Playa del Ray skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.4, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.2% of households in Playa del Ray, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while 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 Playa del Ray
Renters in Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.0% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.9% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.9% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 55.6% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Playa del Ray rent: 55.6% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About a third of owners (33.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 6.6 points from 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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Playa del Ray as nationally: 8.6%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Los Angeles area overall (6.7%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.7 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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Playa del Ray leans older: the median home dates to 1972, against 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of the Los Angeles area. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the southwest 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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,671 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,760 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,261 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,876 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,205 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Playa del Ray costs $2,876 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,205 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the west.
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 Playa del Ray
Bachelor's degrees in Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.6% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 60.2% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.9% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 70.4% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Playa del Ray: 70.4% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.9 points, as it has 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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.7% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.0% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.6% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.2% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Playa del Ray: 98.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has barely moved since 2006–10, while 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 Playa del Ray
| Period | Playa del Ray | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Playa del Ray: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Playa del Ray 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playa del Ray | 2.02 | 42.4 | 3.2% | 55.6% | 8.6% | 1972 | $2,876 | 70.4% | 98.2% | 6.4% |
| Westchester | 2.32 | 38.7 | 6.6% | 54.9% | 13.1% | 1973 | $2,968 | 66.1% | 96.9% | 6.2% |
| Playa Vista | 2.24 | 38.2 | 6.7% | 59.4% | 8.8% | 1972 | $2,531 | 56.5% | 88.3% | 4.5% |
| Fox Hills | 2.14 | 41.5 | 5.2% | 43.6% | 8.0% | 1966 | $2,849 | 63.1% | 97.5% | 7.3% |
| Mar Vista | 2.26 | 40.4 | 6.9% | 59.1% | 6.5% | 1964 | $2,506 | 64.1% | 93.5% | 6.7% |
| Clarkdale | 2.92 | 34.4 | 15.6% | 63.4% | 7.0% | 1967 | $2,340 | 44.0% | 76.3% | 4.5% |
| Jefferson | 1.89 | 46.9 | 4.0% | 30.3% | 3.1% | 1974 | $2,808 | 73.5% | 97.5% | 11.0% |
| Palms | 1.99 | 34.7 | 5.0% | 86.1% | 9.1% | 1974 | $2,347 | 68.7% | 94.0% | 6.0% |
| Windsor Hills | 2.12 | 53.5 | 11.0% | 35.3% | 10.0% | 1946 | $1,937 | 63.1% | 95.4% | 7.5% |
| Morningside Park | 2.50 | 43.7 | 13.7% | 46.0% | 8.5% | 1961 | $1,945 | 36.4% | 85.4% | 9.1% |
| Sawtelle | 1.92 | 35.3 | 4.7% | 79.3% | 10.1% | 1975 | $2,594 | 71.5% | 95.1% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia, PA · Broadmoor-Anderson Isle-Shreve Isle, Shreveport, LA · Greystone, Birmingham, AL · Sabre Springs, San Diego, CA · Rita Ranch, Tucson, AZ · Lake View, Paterson, NJ · Koreatown, Palisades Park, NJ · Hamilton Area, Baltimore, MD · Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, CA · Group 14621, Rochester, NY
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 Playa del Ray. 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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