Population 14,352 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Akron
Household size in West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.45 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.48 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.43 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.37 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in West Akron are small: just 2.36 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. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.44, as it has 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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9 | 39.7 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 40.6 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.2 | 41.6 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 42.2 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.5 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
West Akron skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.9, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.9, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.8% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 10.9% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 10.8% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 27.4% | 11.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head more than a quarter of households in West Akron (27.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.6 points, even as the national share fell. West Akron has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Akron 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 West Akron
Renters in West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6% | 30.6% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.7% | 32.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.9% | 33.4% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.9% | 31.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in West Akron than nationally: 46.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 51.4% have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 9.0% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 9.9% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 8.1% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in West Akron: 13.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged up 0.6 points since 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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1968 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1968 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1969 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +2 | +4 | +6 |
West Akron is a place of older homes: half were built before 1948, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the northeast 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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $725 | $834 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $734 | $856 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $816 | $957 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,055 | $1,182 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$331 | +$349 | +$377 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Akron costs $1,055 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $331 a month since 2006–10, up 46%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.1% 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 West Akron
Bachelor's degrees in West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 29.4% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 30.1% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 32.5% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 35.8% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +6.5 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in West Akron have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.3% | 89.9% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.6% | 90.9% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 92.0% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.5% | 92.8% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Akron is close to the national rate: 89.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Akron area (92.8%). The share with a diploma is up 6.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 West Akron
| Period | West Akron | Akron area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.5% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 9.7% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 5.2% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.4 pts | −3.5 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Akron runs well above the national rate: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 9.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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).
West Akron 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Akron | 2.36 | 41.9 | 27.4% | 46.9% | 13.5% | 1948 | $1,055 | 16.5% | 89.5% | 9.1% |
| Lane-Wooster | 2.20 | 34.1 | 25.9% | 67.3% | 11.3% | 1967 | $890 | 9.6% | 87.8% | 15.3% |
| Highland Square | 2.00 | 41.8 | 8.2% | 58.0% | 7.5% | 1943 | $1,160 | 38.2% | 93.7% | 10.1% |
| Wallhaven | 1.99 | 42.1 | 8.2% | 38.2% | 4.0% | 1952 | $1,046 | 46.2% | 93.9% | 3.9% |
| Downtown Akron | 1.52 | 40.5 | 18.5% | 88.0% | 13.4% | 1962 | $690 | 12.9% | 82.8% | 11.0% |
| Summit Lake | 2.46 | 31.3 | 39.5% | 65.6% | 16.6% | 1949 | $795 | 6.2% | 75.1% | 19.8% |
| Northwest Akron | 2.22 | 44.1 | 13.4% | 13.3% | 9.8% | 1960 | $1,032 | 59.1% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| Elizabeth Park Valley | 2.43 | 37.5 | 37.5% | 62.8% | 7.6% | 1960 | $1,022 | 21.7% | 82.7% | 9.0% |
| University of Ohio Akron | 2.42 | 22.4 | 13.2% | 91.9% | 18.7% | 1966 | $943 | 40.7% | 87.3% | 9.3% |
| Kenmore | 2.39 | 39.6 | 19.5% | 49.1% | 14.4% | 1947 | $961 | 13.2% | 86.2% | 6.3% |
| North Hill | 2.68 | 34.1 | 17.8% | 57.2% | 10.2% | 1943 | $1,019 | 15.6% | 75.7% | 10.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: First Hill, Seattle, WA · University Heights, San Diego, CA · Campus Area, Albany, NY · Windy Hill, Jacksonville, FL · Battery Park, Manhattan, NY · Alamo Placita, Denver, CO · Grays Ferry, Philadelphia, PA · Ballston-Virginia Square, Arlington, VA · Back Creek Church Road, Charlotte, NC · San Carlos, San Diego, CA
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 West Akron. 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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