Population 5,730 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Southwestern Hills
Household size in Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Southwestern Hills is a place of small households, averaging 2.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.27 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated 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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.0 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.4 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.1 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Southwestern Hills are younger than 40.1 and half are older, the same as the national median. The population here is older than in the Des Moines area as a whole, where the median age is 37.6. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.7, 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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Southwestern Hills than nationally: 8.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Des Moines' 22 neighborhoods, only two have 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 Southwestern Hills
Renters in Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.5% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.3% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Southwestern Hills than nationally: 38.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 34.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the center.
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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Southwestern Hills than nationally: 6.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Southwestern Hills has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Des Moines neighborhoods.
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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Southwestern Hills was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the Des Moines area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1983. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east 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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $840 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $810 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $980 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,121 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$282 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Southwestern Hills pays $1,121 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $282 a month since 2006–10, up 34%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Southwestern Hills
Bachelor's degrees in Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.8% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.2% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.3% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.6% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Southwestern Hills is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (48.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.8 points, in line with the national trend. Of Des Moines' 22 neighborhoods, only two have 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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.9% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.9% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Southwestern Hills is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 1.0 points, even as the national rate rose. Southwestern Hills has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Des Moines 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 Southwestern Hills
| Period | Southwestern Hills | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Southwestern Hills than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller 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).
Southwestern Hills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Hills | 2.24 | 40.1 | 8.7% | 38.3% | 6.0% | 1977 | $1,121 | 48.6% | 93.9% | 4.2% |
| Greater South Side | 2.30 | 40.2 | 10.5% | 20.5% | 4.8% | 1957 | $1,152 | 22.8% | 94.2% | 4.4% |
| Fort des Moines | 2.64 | 34.2 | 13.2% | 32.7% | 8.9% | 1960 | $960 | 21.0% | 75.2% | 3.5% |
| Indianola Hills | 2.40 | 35.8 | 17.3% | 33.8% | 11.0% | 1955 | $1,189 | 20.3% | 87.5% | 4.5% |
| Downtown Des Moines | 1.34 | 28.0 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 12.6% | 1985 | $1,283 | 67.0% | 94.4% | 4.0% |
| South Park | 2.12 | 37.2 | 16.0% | 52.6% | 7.4% | 1964 | $977 | 18.5% | 82.4% | 9.1% |
| Drake | 2.21 | 28.2 | 10.4% | 55.9% | 9.2% | 1944 | $1,140 | 38.4% | 87.5% | 7.0% |
| Pioneer Park | 2.63 | 31.4 | 24.1% | 52.2% | 6.1% | 1983 | $1,110 | 18.3% | 73.8% | 7.5% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| Beaverdale | 1.99 | 42.0 | 6.5% | 24.1% | 7.7% | 1944 | $1,253 | 48.7% | 95.1% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Arvada Plaza Area, Arvada, CO · Kennedy Heights, Cincinnati, OH · Uptown, New Orleans, LA · Valley, Providence, RI · View Ridge, Seattle, WA · Village 11, Sacramento, CA · Downtown Riverfront-190th, Bothell, WA · Downtown, Providence, RI · Village Centre, Menomonee Falls, WI · Wakefield, Tucson, 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 Southwestern Hills. 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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