Population 20,234 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rainier Beach
Household size in Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.02 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.97 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.92 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.88 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Rainier Beach holds 2.88 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 3.02 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Seattle neighborhood has larger 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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.3 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.3, the median age in Rainier Beach is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.9, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the east.
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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.0% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Rainier Beach as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Seattle area as a whole (9.1%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 6.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Rainier Beach
Renters in Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.4% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.3% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over three in ten households in Rainier Beach rent their homes (31.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 27.1% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the west. The renter share is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Rainier Beach than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Vacancy is down 2.6 points from 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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Rainier Beach is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center.
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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,032 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,147 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,495 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,168 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,136 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rainier Beach costs $2,168 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,136 a month since 2006–10, up 110%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the northwest.
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 Rainier Beach
Bachelor's degrees in Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.8% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.1% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.6% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.5% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Rainier Beach (36.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Seattle area (46.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.8 points, as it has nationally. Few Seattle neighborhoods have a lower share of college graduates: only two of 67.
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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.4% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.9% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.6% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Rainier Beach never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Seattle neighborhoods have a lower share of high school graduates: only three of 67.
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 Rainier Beach
| Period | Rainier Beach | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rainier Beach runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 5.9 points from 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).
Rainier Beach 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainier Beach | 2.88 | 39.3 | 11.4% | 31.3% | 6.6% | 1967 | $2,168 | 36.5% | 83.6% | 4.0% |
| Brighton | 2.52 | 36.1 | 12.1% | 60.0% | 13.1% | 1984 | $1,974 | 45.2% | 93.4% | 4.2% |
| Seward Park | 2.66 | 46.0 | 4.9% | 18.9% | 2.4% | 1951 | $2,415 | 71.7% | 98.5% | 2.5% |
| South Park | 2.68 | 33.3 | 15.1% | 46.4% | 6.0% | 1971 | $1,792 | 42.7% | 82.7% | 5.6% |
| Columbia City | 2.46 | 37.1 | 9.3% | 53.1% | 7.5% | 1982 | $2,014 | 64.3% | 90.0% | 3.5% |
| Kennydale | 2.56 | 39.3 | 9.0% | 30.8% | 6.0% | 1986 | $2,542 | 46.3% | 91.0% | 7.5% |
| Highline | 2.76 | 37.5 | 15.0% | 48.1% | 7.4% | 1974 | $1,735 | 27.2% | 81.4% | 6.1% |
| Beacon Hill | 2.76 | 39.1 | 9.1% | 42.8% | 6.8% | 1970 | $1,875 | 44.1% | 84.6% | 3.8% |
| Highlands Park | 2.49 | 39.2 | 15.8% | 54.0% | 5.8% | 1968 | $1,970 | 30.6% | 81.1% | 4.4% |
| Highland Park | 2.23 | 40.5 | 7.0% | 40.8% | 10.4% | 1974 | $1,892 | 49.1% | 94.4% | 2.4% |
| Mercer Heights | 2.86 | 49.5 | 3.6% | 12.1% | 5.8% | 1970 | $3,102 | 82.5% | 97.6% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Alleghany West, Philadelphia, PA · Woodrow, Staten Island, NY · Whitestone, Queens, NY · Westside, Santa Cruz, CA · Westlake-San Francisco, Daly City, CA · Warrendale, Detroit, MI · Wallingford, Seattle, WA · Vance Jackson, San Antonio, TX · Uptown, Seattle, WA · Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
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 Rainier Beach. 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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