Population 12,975 · 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 Shaw: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Shaw
Household size in Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.08 | 2.73 | 2.19 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.20 | 2.82 | 2.29 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.07 | 2.86 | 2.38 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.90 | 2.77 | 2.09 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | +0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Shaw are small: just 1.90 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 2.08, 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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 37.0 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.1 | 37.6 | 35.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.6 | 38.5 | 35.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.4 | 39.2 | 36.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.1 | +2.2 | +0.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.4, Shaw is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 34.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Shaw is younger than at least four in five Washington neighborhoods.
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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 11.3% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Shaw than nationally: 13.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Shaw
Renters in Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.9% | 34.0% | 56.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 68.6% | 36.6% | 58.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.4% | 36.8% | 58.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 71.4% | 36.3% | 58.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Shaw rent: 71.4% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 8.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Washington neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 8.7% | 13.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 7.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 6.6% | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Shaw as nationally: 10.3%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Washington area as a whole (5.9%). Vacancy is down 5.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1977 | 1952 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1978 | 1954 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1979 | 1957 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +10 | +6 |
The housing in Shaw is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, 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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,026 | $1,470 | $1,166 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,219 | $1,583 | $1,368 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,823 | $1,907 | $1,677 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,297 | $2,236 | $2,078 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,272 | +$766 | +$912 | +$606 |
Rent in Shaw runs $2,297 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,272 a month from 2006–10, a 124% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the south.
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 Shaw
Bachelor's degrees in Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2% | 46.6% | 47.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 55.2% | 48.2% | 52.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.8% | 51.0% | 58.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 68.2% | 53.9% | 63.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +23.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +16.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Shaw: 68.2% 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 23.0 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.9% | 89.4% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 90.2% | 88.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 90.8% | 91.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.2% | 91.2% | 92.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +1.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Shaw is a bit above the national rate: 91.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The Washington area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, 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 Shaw
| Period | Shaw | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 6.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 4.7% | 7.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 4.8% | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Shaw has been low: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 8.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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).
Shaw 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaw | 1.90 | 33.4 | 13.1% | 71.4% | 10.3% | 1964 | $2,297 | 68.2% | 91.2% | 1.9% |
| Mt Vernon Square | 1.59 | 32.1 | 6.7% | 78.1% | 9.8% | 2005 | $2,334 | 81.6% | 97.4% | 1.1% |
| Ledroit Park | 2.11 | 30.9 | 5.5% | 41.7% | 10.4% | 1939 | $2,702 | 79.4% | 96.3% | 3.5% |
| Downtown | 1.42 | 35.8 | 3.9% | 70.5% | 15.4% | 1992 | $2,787 | 85.0% | 97.5% | 3.5% |
| Logan Circle | 1.59 | 37.4 | 4.2% | 60.5% | 6.2% | 1966 | $2,566 | 83.2% | 92.1% | 3.0% |
| U Street Corridor | 1.75 | 33.0 | 6.7% | 66.2% | 9.4% | 1981 | $2,716 | 82.7% | 95.8% | 2.1% |
| Dupont Circle | 1.45 | 34.6 | 2.9% | 64.3% | 10.3% | 1954 | $2,379 | 91.5% | 99.2% | 2.1% |
| Columbia Heights | 2.09 | 31.9 | 14.3% | 66.0% | 8.7% | 1958 | $2,082 | 66.7% | 89.4% | 5.6% |
| Adams Morgan | 1.65 | 37.5 | 4.1% | 64.7% | 10.3% | 1945 | $2,494 | 89.7% | 98.2% | 1.7% |
| Stanton Park | 1.96 | 36.0 | 3.4% | 49.7% | 9.6% | 1943 | $2,378 | 89.3% | 98.7% | 2.2% |
| Capitol Hill | 1.79 | 33.4 | 6.4% | 69.6% | 12.1% | 1982 | $2,593 | 78.5% | 96.1% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Kahaluu, Kaneohe, HI · Stanton Park, Washington, DC · Spanos Park, Stockton, CA · Southeast, Eugene, OR · South Side, Mount Vernon, NY · South Side, Columbus, OH · South Park, Los Angeles, CA · South Lowell, Lowell, MA · South Englewood, Chicago, IL · Lincoln Heights, Spokane, WA
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 Shaw. 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.