Population 5,050 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ralston Valley
Household size in Ralston Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.56 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.56 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.50 | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Ralston Valley are small: just 2.35 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 dropped from 2.85 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 40.8 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.5 | 41.3 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.7 | 41.1 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.1 | 41.3 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.3 | +0.4 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Ralston Valley skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 8.5% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 7.6% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 7.3% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ralston Valley: 4.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.7 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Valley
Renters in Ralston Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 25.0% | 33.5% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 26.3% | 36.4% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 25.6% | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 24.0% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −0.9 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Ralston Valley is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 6.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 36.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 5.7% | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 4.4% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.6% | 5.5% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 5.2% | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ralston Valley: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across Arvada. Vacancy has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, 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 Ralston Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1978 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1979 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1983 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Ralston Valley is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,818 | $1,158 | $1,128 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,265 | $1,200 | $1,245 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,782 | $1,605 | $1,606 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,459 | $2,215 | $2,181 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$641 | +$1,057 | +$1,053 | +$912 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ralston Valley costs $2,459 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $641 a month from 2006–10, a 35% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are 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 Ralston Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Ralston Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.6% | 35.2% | 38.1% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.9% | 38.2% | 40.0% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.0% | 41.6% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.9% | 51.6% | 49.1% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +16.4 pts | +11.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Ralston Valley is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (49.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged down 0.7 points, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.7% | 91.8% | 88.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.4% | 94.0% | 89.8% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 93.9% | 91.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.5% | 95.3% | 92.1% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ralston Valley: 97.5% 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 1.8 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Valley
| Period | Ralston Valley | Arvada | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 6.9% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 3.6% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Ralston Valley is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Arvada as a whole (3.6%). 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 Valley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ralston Valley | 2.35 | 47.1 | 4.3% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 1988 | $2,459 | 49.9% | 97.5% | 5.2% |
| Northwest Arvada | 2.41 | 43.6 | 7.7% | 23.1% | 6.5% | 1976 | $2,479 | 50.0% | 96.8% | 2.6% |
| Allendale Area | 2.42 | 37.4 | 7.1% | 37.7% | 6.9% | 1991 | $1,925 | 50.6% | 95.9% | 0.4% |
| West Woods | 2.52 | 45.8 | 3.2% | 7.8% | 2.8% | 1995 | $2,982 | 69.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
| Arvada Plaza Area | 2.11 | 35.7 | 12.0% | 62.4% | 8.6% | 1976 | $1,908 | 43.8% | 92.5% | 7.1% |
| Fruitdale | 2.16 | 37.6 | 8.9% | 57.0% | 4.2% | 1980 | $1,727 | 43.5% | 94.0% | 3.6% |
| Scenic Heights | 2.18 | 46.8 | 5.6% | 28.7% | 9.3% | 1969 | $1,886 | 45.7% | 95.1% | 2.0% |
| Lamar Heights Area | 2.68 | 38.7 | 8.6% | 30.0% | 8.0% | 1971 | $1,965 | 40.3% | 95.5% | 3.0% |
| Kings Mill | 2.39 | 41.4 | 10.0% | 26.0% | 8.4% | 1983 | $2,553 | 53.5% | 95.0% | 6.1% |
| Bel Aire | 2.09 | 45.5 | 7.3% | 41.4% | 7.4% | 1965 | $1,887 | 44.5% | 98.0% | 3.3% |
| Applewood | 2.33 | 47.0 | 6.9% | 29.1% | 7.2% | 1973 | $2,106 | 63.0% | 97.4% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Government Hill Alliance, San Antonio, TX · Springfield Lake Shore Improvement, Springfield, IL · Springfield, Jacksonville, FL · South San Gabriel, Rosemead, CA · Side Hill, Fort Collins, CO · Huntington-Jefferson, Virginia Beach, VA · Hudson Avenue Historic District, Newark, OH · Hansen, Mountain House, CA · Hanamaulu, Lihue, HI · Hampton Cove, Owens Cross Roads, AL
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 Valley. 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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