Population 15,184 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Side
Household size in South Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.56 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.59 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.60 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.26 | +0.00 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in South Side are small: just 2.28 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. Household size has dropped from 2.54 in 2006–10, 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 Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.1 | 36.2 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.7 | 37.0 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 37.6 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.1 | 37.9 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.0 | +1.7 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 36.1, South Side 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 youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 12.1% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 12.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 12.7% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | +0.7 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in South Side (17.7%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 4.4 points since 2006–10, 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 Side
Renters in South Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.2% | 35.4% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 56.2% | 37.9% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.1% | 38.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.5% | 38.7% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in South Side rent: 50.5% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over four in ten owners (41.4%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northeast.
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 Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 10.9% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.5% | 10.0% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 7.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.6% of the housing in South Side, 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. Vacancy is down 6.6 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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1976 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1977 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1979 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1982 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in South Side is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1947, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the west. Only two of Columbus' 46 neighborhoods have older homes.
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 Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $664 | $852 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $722 | $924 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $873 | $1,051 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,084 | $1,378 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$420 | +$526 | +$377 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Side pays $1,084 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $420 a month from 2006–10, a 63% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 29.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Side
Bachelor's degrees in South Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 33.3% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 34.4% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 37.6% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.2% | 40.2% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +6.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in South Side have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.2%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.6 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
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 Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.8% | 89.6% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.5% | 90.2% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.3% | 91.6% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.4% | 92.2% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in South Side never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 12.6 points, as it has nationally.
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 Side
| Period | South Side | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 7.8% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 4.3% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in South Side than nationally: unemployment was 6.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 8.4 points since 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).
South Side 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 Side | 2.28 | 36.1 | 17.7% | 50.5% | 17.6% | 1947 | $1,084 | 22.2% | 85.4% | 6.8% |
| Southern Orchards | 2.31 | 31.3 | 20.4% | 56.3% | 18.8% | 1939 | $1,171 | 33.1% | 89.3% | 3.2% |
| Near Southside | 2.28 | 38.8 | 21.7% | 51.3% | 20.6% | 1949 | $1,073 | 24.7% | 89.7% | 8.0% |
| Southside Columbus | 1.71 | 36.3 | 5.4% | 48.3% | 9.5% | 1940 | $1,695 | 80.5% | 98.8% | 1.9% |
| Tri-South | 2.49 | 43.3 | 16.0% | 41.8% | 10.0% | 1964 | $1,340 | 11.1% | 85.2% | 6.4% |
| Downtown Columbus | 1.32 | 36.9 | 1.9% | 79.4% | 14.8% | 2001 | $1,513 | 62.6% | 96.0% | 3.3% |
| Near East | 2.07 | 34.5 | 16.0% | 61.0% | 20.2% | 1950 | $1,086 | 42.5% | 89.1% | 6.5% |
| Berwick | 2.32 | 44.7 | 14.7% | 33.5% | 4.9% | 1960 | $1,399 | 55.8% | 98.3% | 4.0% |
| Far South | 2.55 | 41.7 | 17.5% | 29.8% | 7.5% | 1969 | $1,350 | 13.8% | 82.5% | 7.7% |
| Franklinton | 2.50 | 31.0 | 20.0% | 74.8% | 22.9% | 1967 | $1,112 | 25.0% | 77.2% | 6.7% |
| Southwest | 2.60 | 38.9 | 19.3% | 38.2% | 8.9% | 1983 | $1,192 | 14.6% | 81.2% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: West Oak Hill, Austin, TX · Central Beaverton, Beaverton, OR · Citizens Southwest, Jackson, MS · Delmar Parkway, Aurora, CO · Desert Hills, Cave Creek, AZ · Koolauloa, Laie, HI · Tuttle West, Dublin, OH · Van Nest, Bronx, NY · Victory Hills, Kansas City, KS · West Meadows, Tampa, FL
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 Side. 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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