Population 156,757 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Washington Heights
Household size in Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.97 | 2.15 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.99 | 2.16 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.88 | 2.12 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.08 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | −0.07 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.70 people per household, Washington Heights sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in Manhattan as a whole, where it has 2.08 people. Household size has dropped from 2.97 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Washington Heights has the largest households of any Manhattan neighborhood.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.7 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.1 | 39.4 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +2.8 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in Washington Heights is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 35.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the south, 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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.2% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.0% | 9.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Washington Heights: 15.6% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 6.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Washington Heights has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Manhattan neighborhoods.
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 Washington Heights
Renters in Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 77.2% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 91.1% | 77.4% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 90.1% | 75.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 74.9% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Washington Heights rent: 87.4% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 44.7% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 3.8 points from 2006–10, 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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 12.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 13.1% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 13.8% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 15.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Washington Heights as nationally: 8.8%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Manhattan as a whole (15.4%). Vacancy is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, 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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1952 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1941 | 1954 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1942 | 1954 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1942 | 1956 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Washington Heights is a place of older homes: half were built before 1942, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Washington Heights has older homes than the great majority of Manhattan neighborhoods.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $952 | $1,332 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,145 | $1,485 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,354 | $1,922 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,662 | $2,383 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$710 | +$1,051 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Washington Heights pays $1,662 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Manhattan overall ($2,383). Rent has climbed $710 a month since 2006–10, up 75%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Washington Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 57.2% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.4% | 59.6% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 62.2% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.4% | 64.7% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +7.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Washington Heights (39.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in Manhattan overall (64.7%). The share with a degree is up 11.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.5% | 84.9% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 69.4% | 86.6% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 72.2% | 87.8% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.0% | 89.9% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +5.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Washington Heights never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 11.5 points, mirroring the country. Washington Heights has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Manhattan 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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 8.3% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Washington Heights: 14.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Washington Heights has the highest unemployment rate of any Manhattan neighborhood. 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).
Washington Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Heights | 2.70 | 39.8 | 15.6% | 87.4% | 8.8% | 1942 | $1,662 | 39.4% | 78.0% | 14.0% |
| Highbridge | 2.63 | 34.9 | 23.5% | 95.6% | 2.6% | 1958 | $1,456 | 18.9% | 72.1% | 13.4% |
| Morris Heights | 2.66 | 35.1 | 25.7% | 95.0% | 2.4% | 1959 | $1,333 | 12.0% | 69.1% | 13.5% |
| Inwood | 2.69 | 39.9 | 15.7% | 89.0% | 8.8% | 1942 | $1,607 | 34.6% | 77.2% | 9.3% |
| Coytesville | 2.84 | 44.7 | 9.0% | 58.0% | 7.4% | 1973 | $2,417 | 60.5% | 95.0% | 3.1% |
| Hamilton Heights | 2.64 | 34.7 | 13.1% | 85.9% | 8.5% | 1941 | $1,724 | 40.6% | 82.6% | 13.0% |
| University Heights | 2.74 | 36.4 | 22.6% | 90.1% | 4.3% | 1949 | $1,505 | 18.8% | 72.8% | 10.5% |
| South Bronx | 2.65 | 34.2 | 27.1% | 90.8% | 4.3% | 1973 | $1,265 | 16.5% | 67.1% | 14.6% |
| Tremont | 2.68 | 33.5 | 29.4% | 95.9% | 5.4% | 1968 | $1,425 | 14.8% | 70.2% | 14.0% |
| Linwood | 2.24 | 43.6 | 11.1% | 51.9% | 11.5% | 1974 | $2,235 | 62.6% | 95.1% | 2.5% |
| Fordham | 2.67 | 33.7 | 28.1% | 96.6% | 5.7% | 1951 | $1,562 | 14.4% | 70.2% | 13.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Hickory Ridge-South Riverdale, Memphis, TN · Lower East Side, Manhattan, NY · Southeast Dallas, Dallas, TX · Southeast Mesa, Mesa, AZ · Southeastern Denver, Denver, CO · Southwest, Anaheim, CA · Lake View, Chicago, IL · Southwest Dallas, Dallas, TX · Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA · Kew Ggardens, Queens, NY
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 Washington Heights. 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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