Population 19,818 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Southwest
Household size in Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.56 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.59 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.80 | 2.60 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | +0.00 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Southwest average 2.60 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has dropped from 2.71 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the northeast.
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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0 | 36.2 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.6 | 37.0 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.9 | 37.6 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.9 | 37.9 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +1.7 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
At 38.9, the median age in Southwest is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.0, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 12.1% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 12.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.3% | 12.7% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +0.7 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Southwest: 19.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Southwest
Renters in Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1% | 35.4% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.9% | 37.9% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.1% | 38.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 38.7% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +3.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Southwest rent their homes (38.2%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 40.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the west. The renter share is up 3.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 10.9% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 10.0% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 7.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Southwest as nationally: 8.9%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is little changed from 2006–10, while the national rate fell.
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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1976 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1977 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1979 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1982 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Southwest are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $783 | $852 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $791 | $924 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $906 | $1,051 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,192 | $1,378 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$410 | +$526 | +$377 | +$606 |
The median renter in Southwest pays $1,192 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $410 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest 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 Southwest
Bachelor's degrees in Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 33.3% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 34.4% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 37.6% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 40.2% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +6.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Southwest: 14.6% 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 4.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.1% | 89.6% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.1% | 90.2% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.6% | 91.6% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.2% | 92.2% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in five adults in Southwest never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Southwest has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Columbus 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 Southwest
| Period | Southwest | Columbus area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 7.8% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 4.3% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Southwest than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 7.7 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).
Southwest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | 2.60 | 38.9 | 19.3% | 38.2% | 8.9% | 1983 | $1,192 | 14.6% | 81.2% | 3.8% |
| Franklinton | 2.50 | 31.0 | 20.0% | 74.8% | 22.9% | 1967 | $1,112 | 25.0% | 77.2% | 6.7% |
| Greater Hilltop | 2.72 | 31.9 | 23.0% | 52.5% | 8.7% | 1965 | $1,268 | 15.9% | 77.9% | 8.1% |
| Pinnacle Club | 2.38 | 40.6 | 3.7% | 34.3% | 9.9% | 2006 | $1,609 | 42.0% | 97.0% | 5.8% |
| West Gate | 2.54 | 37.6 | 21.2% | 34.6% | 5.3% | 1950 | $954 | 27.7% | 84.8% | 5.7% |
| Southside Columbus | 1.71 | 36.3 | 5.4% | 48.3% | 9.5% | 1940 | $1,695 | 80.5% | 98.8% | 1.9% |
| South Side | 2.28 | 36.1 | 17.7% | 50.5% | 17.6% | 1947 | $1,084 | 22.2% | 85.4% | 6.8% |
| Far South | 2.55 | 41.7 | 17.5% | 29.8% | 7.5% | 1969 | $1,350 | 13.8% | 82.5% | 7.7% |
| Downtown Columbus | 1.32 | 36.9 | 1.9% | 79.4% | 14.8% | 2001 | $1,513 | 62.6% | 96.0% | 3.3% |
| Southern Orchards | 2.31 | 31.3 | 20.4% | 56.3% | 18.8% | 1939 | $1,171 | 33.1% | 89.3% | 3.2% |
| Tri-South | 2.49 | 43.3 | 16.0% | 41.8% | 10.0% | 1964 | $1,340 | 11.1% | 85.2% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Sunrise, Las Vegas, NV · Canyon Crest, Riverside, CA · Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, WA · Santa Clara, Eugene, OR · Rockdale, Atlanta, GA · Rockaway Park, Queens, NY · Richmond, Portland, OR · Queen Anne, Seattle, WA · Port Richmond, Staten Island, NY · Northwest, Portland, OR
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 Southwest. 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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