Population 6,251 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sunset Hills
Household size in Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.14 | 2.29 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.26 | 2.36 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.15 | 2.32 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.99 | 2.19 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Sunset Hills are small: just 1.99 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 2.14 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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1 | 30.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 26.2 | 31.6 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 27.4 | 32.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 25.6 | 34.0 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.5 | +3.2 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
Sunset Hills is young: half of its residents are under 25.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults in their twenties. The median age has crept up from 25.1 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 8.9% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 8.2% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 7.5% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Sunset Hills: 5.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 8.3 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 Sunset Hills
Renters in Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.7% | 50.8% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 64.1% | 52.3% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.6% | 52.7% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 60.9% | 54.1% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Sunset Hills: 60.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than four in ten owners (42.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the north. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 5.8 points, 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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.5% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 8.3% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 31.5% | 10.2% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.4% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +16.9 pts | +2.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 23.4% of the housing in Sunset Hills, 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 risen 16.9 points, even as 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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1979 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1980 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1983 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1982 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Sunset Hills is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast 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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $671 | $852 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $724 | $918 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $801 | $950 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $904 | $1,164 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$233 | +$312 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sunset Hills costs $904 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $233 a month since 2006–10, up 35%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 38.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the north.
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 Sunset Hills
Bachelor's degrees in Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.8% | 52.8% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 61.7% | 54.2% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.0% | 52.8% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.1% | 53.6% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | −19.7 pts | +0.7 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Sunset Hills: 48.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Still, the share is lower than in Lawrence overall (53.6%). The share with a degree is down 19.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.0% | 95.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 94.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.6% | 95.4% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.1% | 95.8% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +0.5 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sunset Hills: 96.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Lawrence as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Sunset Hills
| Period | Sunset Hills | Lawrence | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 7.1% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 4.6% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sunset Hills runs well above the national rate: 11.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Sunset 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Hills | 1.99 | 25.6 | 5.1% | 60.9% | 23.4% | 1969 | $904 | 48.1% | 96.1% | 11.5% |
| Oread | 2.37 | 22.0 | 7.7% | 90.1% | 13.0% | 1953 | $1,033 | 49.1% | 96.5% | 8.8% |
| East Topeka | 2.43 | 34.5 | 26.9% | 44.9% | 8.3% | 1979 | $651 | 19.7% | 89.3% | 7.6% |
| South Southeast 3 | 2.42 | 40.6 | 10.5% | 17.7% | 9.9% | 1985 | $1,657 | 26.3% | 94.1% | 1.2% |
| South Southeast 1 | 2.02 | 39.9 | 8.2% | 58.6% | 10.7% | 1971 | $939 | 34.3% | 96.9% | 4.6% |
| Central Topeka 2 | 2.20 | 35.9 | 6.1% | 42.2% | 10.0% | 1958 | $894 | 37.4% | 95.4% | 6.7% |
| Prairie-Piper-KC-KS | 2.94 | 39.1 | 18.7% | 28.0% | 6.0% | 2002 | $1,712 | 38.3% | 94.7% | 0.4% |
| West Southwest 3 | 2.18 | 44.8 | 6.2% | 34.1% | 8.6% | 1963 | $1,120 | 24.6% | 96.2% | 5.2% |
| West Southwest 2 | 2.01 | 44.4 | 11.7% | 55.9% | 10.5% | 1977 | $1,195 | 31.1% | 93.5% | 3.8% |
| Southwest Topeka | 2.29 | 42.7 | 11.7% | 34.8% | 4.6% | 1986 | $1,226 | 43.3% | 97.0% | 4.0% |
| I-435 West KC-KS | 2.95 | 37.2 | 9.1% | 25.3% | 4.6% | 2000 | $2,318 | 44.2% | 93.3% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southside, Huntington, WV · Haynes Area, Nashville, TN · Heather Gardens, Aurora, CO · Hiawatha, Minneapolis, MN · Highland Park, Pittsburgh, PA · Highland, Rochester, NY · Highlands-Providence, Fall River, MA · Hillcrest, Little Rock, AR · Hodgin, Albuquerque, NM · Interlake, Bellevue, WA
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 Sunset 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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