Population 3,641 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Shockoe Bottom
Household size in Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.57 | 2.58 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.38 | 2.63 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.56 | 2.63 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.51 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Shockoe Bottom are small: just 1.51 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. Only one other Richmond neighborhood has smaller 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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.4 | 38.2 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.7 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 31.1 | 39.6 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +1.4 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 31.1, Shockoe Bottom 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 climbed from 29.4 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.8% | 12.4% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.7% | 12.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 0.6% | 11.3% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 12.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.6% of households in Shockoe Bottom, well below the national share of 11.6%. No other Richmond neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Shockoe Bottom
Renters in Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.8% | 31.5% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 33.8% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 34.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 92.1% | 33.0% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Shockoe Bottom rent: 92.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 26.3% have no mortgage at all, well below 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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 9.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 10.1% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 8.1% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Shockoe Bottom: 19.2% of homes are empty, 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. Shockoe Bottom has the highest vacancy rate of any Richmond neighborhood.
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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1984 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Shockoe Bottom is a place of older homes: half were built before 1950, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,053 | $1,006 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,172 | $1,097 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,238 | $1,248 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,436 | $1,608 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$383 | +$602 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Shockoe Bottom costs $1,436 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Shockoe Bottom
Bachelor's degrees in Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.0% | 33.0% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.4% | 34.4% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.8% | 38.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.8% | 41.0% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Shockoe Bottom: 61.8% 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.
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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 99.0% | 86.5% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.7% | 88.1% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.1% | 90.0% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 92.3% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Shockoe Bottom is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Richmond area.
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 Shockoe Bottom
| Period | Shockoe Bottom | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 7.1% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.4% | 5.2% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.3% | 4.5% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Shockoe Bottom has been low: just 1.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Shockoe Bottom has lower unemployment than the great majority of Richmond neighborhoods. 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).
Shockoe Bottom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shockoe Bottom | 1.51 | 31.1 | 2.6% | 92.1% | 19.2% | 1950 | $1,436 | 61.8% | 93.4% | 1.3% |
| Church Hill | 1.96 | 34.1 | 7.3% | 57.7% | 12.1% | 1954 | $1,439 | 62.0% | 95.7% | 3.0% |
| Old Town Manchester | 1.35 | 30.1 | 17.7% | 94.5% | 10.0% | 2005 | $1,572 | 68.8% | 98.2% | 0.6% |
| Monroe Ward | 1.66 | 25.6 | 8.2% | 99.9% | 15.3% | 1969 | $1,281 | 44.1% | 97.5% | 9.3% |
| Creighton | 2.57 | 29.6 | 32.0% | 64.5% | 11.3% | 1966 | $845 | 24.4% | 91.7% | 21.5% |
| Fulton | 2.08 | 40.7 | 7.6% | 54.1% | 5.6% | 1986 | $1,294 | 20.6% | 87.3% | 10.9% |
| VCU | 1.69 | 19.5 | 8.6% | 84.3% | 16.0% | 1946 | $1,435 | 57.1% | 90.7% | 24.9% |
| Carver-Richmond | 2.13 | 25.7 | 7.5% | 83.0% | 10.8% | 1975 | $1,590 | 40.2% | 94.5% | 8.2% |
| Bellemeade | 2.60 | 31.8 | 30.5% | 60.8% | 10.3% | 1953 | $876 | 8.6% | 81.5% | 9.7% |
| Swansboro | 2.62 | 29.9 | 23.1% | 51.3% | 8.0% | 1956 | $858 | 34.0% | 77.9% | 3.3% |
| The Fan | 1.86 | 33.2 | 5.9% | 59.7% | 7.3% | 1940 | $1,574 | 73.5% | 96.2% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bayshore, Miami Beach, FL · Woodbine, Sacramento, CA · Abbot, Ann Arbor, MI · Brandywine, Oklahoma City, OK · Boltons Landing, Charleston, SC · Beulah Heights, Pueblo, CO · Belview Heights, Birmingham, AL · Bel Aire, Wheat Ridge, CO · Barrio Campanilla, Toa Baja, PR · Barcroft, Arlington, VA
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 Shockoe Bottom. 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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