Population 117,265 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Mountain
Household size in South Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.29 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.39 | 2.91 | 2.84 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.37 | 2.91 | 2.82 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.15 | 2.80 | 2.70 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.03 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in South Mountain are large by national standards, averaging 3.15 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.29, 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 South Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.8 | 35.6 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.2 | 36.9 | 38.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.9 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.8 | 39.1 | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +3.5 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
South Mountain is young: half of its residents are under 34.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 29.8 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 South Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.5% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.2% | 14.0% | 13.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in five households in South Mountain (18.8%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Mountain
Renters in South Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.5% | 32.8% | 32.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.4% | 37.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.2% | 36.6% | 35.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 33.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +0.6 pts | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in South Mountain is about as common as it is nationally: 34.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 34.7% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southwest. The renter share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 14.1% | 15.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 14.1% | 15.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 10.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −5.6 pts | −5.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in South Mountain: just 5.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 7.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Phoenix neighborhoods have a lower vacancy rate: only two of 19.
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 Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1988 | 1987 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1989 | 1988 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1990 | 1989 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
South Mountain has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1985 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
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 Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $928 | $1,123 | $1,043 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $907 | $1,158 | $1,078 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,079 | $1,342 | $1,227 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,629 | $1,927 | $1,736 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$701 | +$804 | +$694 | +$606 |
Rent in South Mountain runs $1,629 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Phoenix area as a whole ($1,927). Rents are up $701 a month from 2006–10, a 76% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.8% of the typical renter's income, 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 Mountain
Bachelor's degrees in South Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 27.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 28.5% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 31.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 35.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in South Mountain: 23.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the north.
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 Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.2% | 85.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 69.4% | 86.0% | 85.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 73.6% | 87.2% | 86.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 77.1% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in South Mountain never finished high school, well above the national share: only 77.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 10.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Mountain
| Period | South Mountain | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 5.3% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in South Mountain is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 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 Mountain 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 Mountain | 3.15 | 34.8 | 18.8% | 34.2% | 5.2% | 1990 | $1,629 | 23.3% | 77.1% | 5.2% |
| South Phoenix | 3.09 | 33.6 | 17.5% | 40.4% | 5.7% | 1997 | $1,799 | 27.7% | 83.0% | 4.0% |
| Downtown Phoenix | 2.98 | 28.8 | 24.5% | 79.3% | 10.7% | 1982 | $1,317 | 16.4% | 66.2% | 8.4% |
| Ahwatukee | 2.44 | 43.3 | 8.1% | 29.6% | 7.4% | 1993 | $2,108 | 56.4% | 96.7% | 3.6% |
| Central Phoenix | 2.20 | 35.0 | 14.7% | 73.9% | 15.5% | 1984 | $1,475 | 30.0% | 78.8% | 7.9% |
| Wood Park | 2.57 | 33.8 | 19.3% | 64.5% | 4.2% | 1987 | $1,715 | 27.8% | 90.3% | 2.8% |
| Baseline-Hardy | 2.67 | 32.5 | 11.0% | 63.4% | 9.1% | 1986 | $1,708 | 30.0% | 77.9% | 4.2% |
| Tempe Royal Estates | 2.30 | 31.7 | 3.1% | 65.6% | 7.6% | 1990 | $1,688 | 34.2% | 96.0% | 2.4% |
| Sunset | 2.74 | 27.0 | 14.5% | 79.0% | 11.6% | 1983 | $1,669 | 54.2% | 92.3% | 8.7% |
| Peterson | 2.21 | 28.7 | 17.5% | 74.7% | 5.6% | 1982 | $1,723 | 40.9% | 93.2% | 9.3% |
| Tempe Junction | 2.35 | 30.1 | 8.5% | 59.2% | 21.6% | 1964 | $1,613 | 60.5% | 93.1% | 12.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY · Washington Heights, Manhattan, NY · Central, El Paso, TX · Southeast Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA · Southeast Dallas, Dallas, TX · North Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ · North Mountain, Phoenix, AZ · Canarsie, Brooklyn, NY · South Side, Corpus Christi, TX · Camelback East, Phoenix, AZ
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 Mountain. 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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