Population 21,576 · 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 West Baltimore: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in West Baltimore
Household size in West Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.79 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.65 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.65 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.59 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.58 | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in West Baltimore are small: just 2.21 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 2.79 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 West Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5 | 38.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 39.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.9 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.5 | +1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
West Baltimore is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.5, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest.
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 Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.7% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.6% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 27.3% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 23.9% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly a quarter of households in West Baltimore (23.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 5.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. West Baltimore has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Baltimore 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 Baltimore
Renters in West Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.6% | 32.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 74.2% | 33.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.4% | 33.5% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 72.8% | 33.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +1.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in West Baltimore rent: 72.8% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Nearly half of owners (47.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.2 points from 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 West Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.6% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.6% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in West Baltimore: 25.6% of homes are empty, 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 fallen 7.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
West Baltimore is a place of older homes: half were built before 1949, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the south.
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 Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $741 | $1,179 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $798 | $1,293 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $891 | $1,477 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,060 | $1,778 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$320 | +$599 | +$620 | +$606 |
The median renter in West Baltimore pays $1,060 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $320 a month from 2006–10, a 43% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Baltimore
Bachelor's degrees in West Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 37.3% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 40.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 44.1% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in West Baltimore: 15.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
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 Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.3% | 87.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 66.5% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.4% | 91.1% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.8% | 92.1% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in West Baltimore never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 12.4 points, in line with the national trend. West Baltimore has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Baltimore 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 West Baltimore
| Period | West Baltimore | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 26.4% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in West Baltimore: 16.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Few Baltimore neighborhoods have higher unemployment: only two of 55. Unemployment is down 5.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Baltimore 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 Baltimore | 2.21 | 38.1 | 23.9% | 72.8% | 25.6% | 1949 | $1,060 | 15.8% | 79.8% | 16.7% |
| Sandtown-Winchester | 2.29 | 40.0 | 21.2% | 55.6% | 21.8% | 1951 | $1,122 | 6.6% | 77.3% | 14.5% |
| Greater Rosemont | 2.47 | 39.2 | 20.3% | 44.6% | 22.4% | 1943 | $1,338 | 14.2% | 81.1% | 11.3% |
| Washington Village | 1.88 | 34.7 | 9.1% | 54.0% | 11.3% | 1938 | $1,403 | 49.0% | 87.9% | 8.3% |
| Reservoir Hill-Bolton Hill | 1.68 | 39.9 | 8.3% | 78.4% | 11.8% | 1950 | $1,125 | 40.7% | 88.1% | 6.6% |
| Downtown | 1.40 | 30.8 | 6.1% | 93.7% | 11.4% | 1966 | $1,666 | 62.8% | 96.4% | 2.9% |
| Mount Vernon | 1.24 | 42.1 | 2.7% | 88.8% | 13.1% | 1958 | $1,338 | 58.7% | 93.0% | 6.3% |
| Mid-Town Belvedere | 1.37 | 35.0 | 0.8% | 83.7% | 11.1% | 1971 | $1,615 | 74.9% | 98.4% | 3.1% |
| Mondawin-Walbrook | 2.29 | 37.2 | 15.9% | 55.2% | 16.2% | 1946 | $1,104 | 18.2% | 87.9% | 10.6% |
| Federal Hill-Montgomery | 1.56 | 46.3 | 6.2% | 64.3% | 11.5% | 1977 | $1,785 | 72.2% | 93.2% | 0.3% |
| Oldtown | 1.78 | 32.0 | 25.6% | 85.2% | 10.7% | 1965 | $914 | 7.0% | 67.1% | 11.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: San Luis Rey, Oceanside, CA · Grand Crossing, Chicago, IL · Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA · Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, CA · Hollis, Queens, NY · Kalihi Valley, Honolulu, HI · Lents, Portland, OR · Linda Vista, San Diego, CA · Loop, Chicago, IL · Manoa, Honolulu, HI
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 Baltimore. 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.