Population 224 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Ralston: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Ralston
Household size in Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.97 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.40 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Ralston are small: just 1.97 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.37, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.5 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 52.7 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 55.0 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +13.2 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Ralston skews older: half of its residents are older than 55.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −16.8 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ralston: 6.1% of households, against 11.6% 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 Ralston
Renters in Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Ralston is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 53.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.7% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 54.4% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 43.5% of the housing in Ralston, 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.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | ±0 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Ralston is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $466 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $875 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $788 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $936 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$470 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ralston pays $936 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 51.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Ralston
Bachelor's degrees in Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Ralston: 10.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.9% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in five adults in Ralston never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
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 Ralston
| Period | Ralston | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ralston runs well above the national rate: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. 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).
Ralston compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ralston | 1.97 | 55.0 | 6.1% | 22.6% | 43.5% | 1960 | $936 | 10.1% | 81.5% | 9.1% |
| Marsh Hill | 2.36 | 46.9 | 8.5% | 15.1% | 28.9% | 1973 | $1,041 | 20.0% | 88.5% | 6.9% |
| Masten | 1.99 | 54.8 | 6.3% | 21.9% | 42.5% | 1961 | $945 | 11.0% | 82.0% | 8.9% |
| Roaring Branch | 2.49 | 46.5 | 9.1% | 9.0% | 26.8% | 1976 | $897 | 13.4% | 88.9% | 2.7% |
| Leolyn | 2.41 | 50.8 | 8.8% | 10.3% | 28.1% | 1973 | $902 | 9.6% | 84.3% | 4.1% |
| Calvert | 2.46 | 47.1 | 9.1% | 10.1% | 22.8% | 1977 | $1,109 | 26.3% | 91.1% | 6.1% |
| Ogdensburg | 2.52 | 48.2 | 10.2% | 1.4% | 24.6% | 1978 | $914 | 10.4% | 86.2% | 1.7% |
| Wallis Run | 2.42 | 50.3 | 8.9% | 7.4% | 21.3% | 1978 | $1,148 | 29.8% | 91.6% | 6.1% |
| Trout Run | 2.40 | 43.3 | 8.1% | 15.3% | 29.0% | 1976 | $946 | 19.1% | 90.3% | 5.5% |
| Sebring | 2.62 | 40.6 | 8.5% | 18.8% | 25.0% | 1976 | $867 | 18.9% | 95.8% | 2.0% |
| Liberty | 2.56 | 41.7 | 8.0% | 17.5% | 26.2% | 1976 | $856 | 19.3% | 95.2% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bingley, NY · Woodstock, TN · Woodson, TX · Woodside, OH · Woodland, ME · Windham, IA · Bloomingville, OH · Blair, SC · Blackstone, IL · Woodston, KS
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 Ralston. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.