Population 3,056 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in South Hill
Household size in South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.09 | 2.32 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.13 | 2.45 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.13 | 2.37 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.97 | 2.35 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | +0.02 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
South Hill is a place of small households, averaging 1.97 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.09, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. No other Bellingham 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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1 | 36.4 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 36.3 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.2 | 36.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.0 | 38.6 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.9 | +2.2 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.0, South Hill is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. South Hill has the oldest population of any Bellingham neighborhood.
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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 7.9% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 7.6% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.0% of households in South Hill, well below the national share of 11.6%. South Hill has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Bellingham neighborhood.
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 South Hill
Renters in South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7% | 47.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.9% | 47.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.2% | 48.4% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.2% | 47.8% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +0.2 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in South Hill than nationally: 40.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Even so, renters make up a smaller share here than in Bellingham as a whole (47.8%). Just over six in ten owners (62.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Of Bellingham's 13 neighborhoods, only two have a lower 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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 8.2% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 7.9% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in South Hill: 12.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Only two of Bellingham's 13 neighborhoods have a higher vacancy rate.
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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1977 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1979 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in South Hill is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, 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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $807 | $852 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,066 | $986 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,291 | $1,212 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,689 | $1,680 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$882 | +$828 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Hill pays $1,689 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. The picture is much the same across Bellingham. The typical renter here spends 36.9% 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 South Hill
Bachelor's degrees in South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.1% | 36.1% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 55.0% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.7% | 42.7% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 72.1% | 46.4% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.0 pts | +10.3 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in South Hill: 72.1% 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. No other Bellingham neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.7% | 91.9% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 99.5% | 92.5% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.1% | 94.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 95.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in South Hill: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Bellingham as a whole looks much the same.
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 South Hill
| Period | South Hill | Bellingham | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 9.1% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 9.2% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 5.9% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −3.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in South Hill than nationally: unemployment was 4.3%, 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).
South Hill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Hill | 1.97 | 46.0 | 2.0% | 40.2% | 12.1% | 1971 | $1,689 | 72.1% | 96.3% | 4.3% |
| Western Washington University | 4.65 | 19.7 | 6.5% | 84.2% | 16.9% | 1968 | $1,618 | 46.4% | 100.0% | 17.9% |
| Happy Valley | 1.98 | 28.1 | 4.9% | 72.9% | 5.5% | 1989 | $1,592 | 53.1% | 97.5% | 6.2% |
| Sehome | 2.49 | 23.5 | 6.5% | 79.2% | 16.9% | 1968 | $1,541 | 46.8% | 94.5% | 10.2% |
| Samish Hill | 2.69 | 33.6 | 5.2% | 41.3% | 2.9% | 1996 | $1,785 | 56.0% | 97.7% | 8.3% |
| York | 2.31 | 28.3 | 4.2% | 83.2% | 7.3% | 1953 | $1,506 | 49.5% | 92.8% | 16.7% |
| Puget | 2.40 | 29.7 | 4.6% | 53.6% | 5.8% | 1991 | $1,704 | 49.5% | 94.8% | 3.2% |
| Lettered Streets | 2.12 | 39.3 | 11.1% | 53.2% | 2.8% | 1959 | $1,392 | 48.7% | 94.3% | 7.1% |
| Columbia | 2.32 | 41.5 | 10.2% | 35.2% | 5.9% | 1940 | $1,684 | 55.8% | 96.4% | 6.0% |
| Birchwood | 2.10 | 42.9 | 9.6% | 53.5% | 7.5% | 1976 | $1,552 | 33.9% | 97.4% | 1.3% |
| Mount Baker | 2.09 | 42.8 | 5.6% | 46.3% | 8.2% | 1996 | $1,997 | 40.1% | 94.2% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Shore Harbour and Marina, League City, TX · Grafton Hill, Worcester, MA · Greendale Village, Needham, MA · Hill Farms-University Neighborh, Madison, WI · Kings Mill, Broomfield, CO · Lake Ridge, Fort Lauderdale, FL · Lakewood, New Orleans, LA · Lincoln Park-Syracuse, Syracuse, NY · South Main Street Historic District, Middletown, OH · Glenbrook, Vienna, WV
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 South Hill. 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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