Population 9,934 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Vashon: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Vashon
Household size in Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.25 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Vashon is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 2.25 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.6 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.4 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 53.8 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.8 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Vashon skews older: half of its residents are older than 51.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 50.6 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people, only 12 are older.
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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Vashon: 5.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Vashon has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Washington cities.
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 Vashon
Renters in Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.3% of households in Vashon rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (37.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the southwest. The renter share has edged up 1.3 points since 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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.6% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 21.6% of the housing in Vashon, 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 5.1 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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Housing in Vashon leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,186 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $957 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,312 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,600 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$414 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in Vashon runs $1,600 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider Seattle area ($2,193). Rents are up $414 a month from 2006–10, a 35% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Vashon
Bachelor's degrees in Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.9% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 57.4% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.1% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.7% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Vashon: 50.7% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 6.2 points, 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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.6% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.7% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Vashon: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Vashon has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Washington cities.
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 Vashon
| Period | Vashon | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.6% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 6.0%, unemployment in Vashon is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Seattle area overall (5.0%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 2.9 points, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Vashon compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vashon | 2.37 | 51.8 | 5.3% | 17.3% | 21.6% | 1974 | $1,600 | 50.7% | 97.4% | 6.0% |
| Olalla | 2.51 | 50.0 | 4.7% | 12.7% | 10.3% | 1989 | $1,683 | 32.8% | 97.0% | 4.5% |
| Normandy Park | 2.58 | 45.3 | 4.0% | 19.1% | 9.7% | 1962 | $2,218 | 59.3% | 97.7% | 2.7% |
| Burien | 2.63 | 40.6 | 13.6% | 43.6% | 9.2% | 1966 | $1,968 | 34.6% | 86.7% | 6.9% |
| Des Moines | 2.88 | 37.8 | 14.0% | 39.9% | 5.5% | 1974 | $1,903 | 29.6% | 87.4% | 7.0% |
| Burley | 3.34 | 43.1 | 7.7% | 9.1% | 7.5% | 1990 | $1,736 | 30.3% | 95.5% | 2.9% |
| White Center | 2.60 | 37.5 | 16.1% | 45.0% | 6.7% | 1977 | $1,721 | 32.8% | 85.5% | 4.4% |
| Manchester | 2.48 | 44.6 | 1.8% | 11.5% | 11.1% | 1988 | $2,500 | 47.2% | 0.0% | 3.0% |
| SeaTac | 2.74 | 37.0 | 11.9% | 52.8% | 7.8% | 1977 | $1,779 | 28.0% | 84.9% | 8.6% |
| Ruston | 1.81 | 48.4 | 4.9% | 41.7% | 3.7% | 1981 | $2,022 | 50.0% | 98.5% | 1.0% |
| Gig Harbor | 2.51 | 45.2 | 6.6% | 20.4% | 4.8% | 1993 | $2,177 | 46.9% | 96.9% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Galena Park, TX · Gloucester City, NJ · Gilbert, SC · Gifford, FL · Georgetown, IN · Geneva, OH · Gateway, FL · Garnet Valley, PA · Gardnerville Ranchos, NV · Gardnerville, NV
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 Vashon. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.