Population 13,445 · 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 South Lake Union: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in South Lake Union
Household size in South Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.38 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.44 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.52 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.40 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in South Lake Union are small: just 1.40 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 Seattle 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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.7 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.9 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 29.6 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.7 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 29.6, South Lake Union 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 31.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only one other Seattle neighborhood is younger.
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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.8% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 1.3% of households in South Lake Union, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Seattle 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 South Lake Union
Renters in South Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.4% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 88.8% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 93.3% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in South Lake Union rent: 93.3% 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, 46.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. South Lake Union has the highest share of renters of any Seattle neighborhood.
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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in South Lake Union: 14.6% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.1 points, mirroring the country.
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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 2002 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2006 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2013 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +19 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in South Lake Union is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2013, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1994 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. South Lake Union has the newest homes of any Seattle neighborhood.
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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,018 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,414 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,999 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,571 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,553 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in South Lake Union costs $2,571 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,553 a month from 2006–10, a 152% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 21.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Lake Union
Bachelor's degrees in South Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.2% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 59.3% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 71.4% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 80.3% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +29.1 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
South Lake Union is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (80.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 29.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the northeast.
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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.7% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.9% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.7% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in South Lake Union: 98.7% 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 5.0 points, in line with the national trend. South Lake Union has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Seattle neighborhoods.
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 Lake Union
| Period | South Lake Union | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in South Lake Union runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 Lake Union 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 Lake Union | 1.40 | 29.6 | 1.3% | 93.3% | 14.6% | 2013 | $2,571 | 80.3% | 98.7% | 4.4% |
| Belltown | 1.43 | 34.3 | 2.0% | 83.2% | 17.2% | 2005 | $2,448 | 77.7% | 97.3% | 6.1% |
| Uptown | 1.41 | 34.5 | 1.7% | 78.1% | 12.8% | 1989 | $2,093 | 71.2% | 97.2% | 6.0% |
| Westlake | 1.46 | 31.1 | 1.2% | 81.1% | 10.7% | 2005 | $2,463 | 88.9% | 99.2% | 5.3% |
| Capitol Hill | 1.63 | 34.6 | 2.9% | 74.1% | 6.6% | 1971 | $2,010 | 75.3% | 98.6% | 4.2% |
| First Hill | 1.54 | 31.4 | 4.3% | 88.3% | 11.1% | 1993 | $2,029 | 67.3% | 96.5% | 9.5% |
| Pioneer Square | 1.26 | 40.0 | 3.5% | 90.2% | 20.3% | 1999 | $1,728 | 34.3% | 89.4% | 23.4% |
| Eastlake | 1.66 | 36.7 | 2.4% | 67.1% | 8.9% | 1984 | $1,913 | 81.5% | 99.1% | 6.3% |
| Central District | 1.99 | 33.3 | 6.5% | 66.6% | 6.7% | 1976 | $2,075 | 68.8% | 97.2% | 5.5% |
| Queen Anne | 2.04 | 36.5 | 3.9% | 51.4% | 9.7% | 1955 | $2,155 | 76.5% | 98.4% | 3.8% |
| International District | 1.62 | 37.6 | 5.4% | 87.5% | 13.3% | 1993 | $1,435 | 50.1% | 83.0% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Ironbound, Newark, NJ · Brewerytown, Philadelphia, PA · Brooklawn-St. Vincent, Bridgeport, CT · Brookline, Pittsburgh, PA · Brooklyn-Curtis Bay, Brooklyn, MD · Bryant Terrace, Malden, MA · Buckeye-Shaker, Cleveland, OH · Cambridgeport, Cambridge, MA · Downtown Paterson, Paterson, NJ · Sky Line, San Diego, CA
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 Lake Union. 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.