Population 3,411 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Central
Household size in West Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.90 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.89 | 2.56 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.80 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.54 | 2.53 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.35 | −0.03 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in West Central are small: just 1.54 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 1.90 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9 | 36.1 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.7 | 36.5 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 36.7 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 36.9 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.7 | +0.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
West Central is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.6, against 40.1 nationally. Still, the population here is older than in Fort Wayne overall, where the median age is 36.9.
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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 13.1% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 13.6% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 13.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 13.2% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West Central: 6.7% of households, against 11.6% 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 West Central
Renters in West Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.8% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 72.7% | 33.4% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.6% | 34.9% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 70.7% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in West Central rent: 70.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About four in ten owners (39.7%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as 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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.0% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 10.4% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 9.0% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 7.1% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −12.0 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in West Central: 17.0% 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.
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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1971 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1973 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1974 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1976 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +20 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
West Central is a place of older homes: half were built before 1958, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $422 | $753 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $460 | $789 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $591 | $881 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $943 | $1,175 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$521 | +$422 | +$384 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Central costs $943 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 28.3% of the typical renter's income, just under 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 West Central
Bachelor's degrees in West Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.5% | 27.4% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 27.6% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.2% | 29.4% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.8% | 32.2% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +28.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in West Central: 48.8% 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.
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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.5% | 88.4% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.1% | 88.8% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.5% | 89.1% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +18.8 pts | +1.1 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in West Central: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Central
| Period | West Central | Fort Wayne | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.2% | 9.2% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 9.9% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −16.7 pts | −4.0 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in West Central has been strong: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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 Central 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 Central | 1.54 | 38.6 | 6.7% | 70.7% | 17.0% | 1958 | $943 | 48.8% | 94.3% | 2.5% |
| Bloomingdale | 2.37 | 32.1 | 22.6% | 49.0% | 11.6% | 1942 | $926 | 13.1% | 86.3% | 4.7% |
| Northside | 2.37 | 33.9 | 10.5% | 33.1% | 9.5% | 1943 | $1,005 | 31.8% | 93.4% | 4.4% |
| Oxford | 2.57 | 29.8 | 30.4% | 56.3% | 11.3% | 1952 | $1,038 | 6.5% | 61.6% | 6.2% |
| Pettit-Rudisill | 2.99 | 26.4 | 40.9% | 67.4% | 9.3% | 1955 | $980 | 2.3% | 62.7% | 19.2% |
| Canterbury Green | 1.99 | 26.4 | 5.3% | 100.0% | 13.1% | 1981 | $1,159 | 23.9% | 93.7% | 2.9% |
| Arlington Park | 2.63 | 38.4 | 9.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 1980 | $1,245 | 57.1% | 98.9% | 7.9% |
| Bryan Downtown Historic District | 2.01 | 43.0 | 23.6% | 38.9% | 4.2% | 1958 | $816 | 14.6% | 88.3% | 2.8% |
| Holgate Avenue Historic District | 2.31 | 38.2 | 17.8% | 30.8% | 10.4% | 1955 | $903 | 15.4% | 88.7% | 5.1% |
| Celina Main Street Historic District | 2.41 | 37.2 | 14.5% | 33.7% | 14.2% | 1963 | $723 | 21.4% | 94.6% | 0.5% |
| Findlay Downtown Historic District | 2.03 | 33.2 | 14.5% | 53.6% | 8.8% | 1961 | $1,006 | 26.8% | 96.3% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Apple Creek, San Antonio, TX · Accent, Des Moines, IA · White Grove, Fort Mill, SC · Brooklands Park, Rochester Hills, MI · West Mt. Scott, Happy Valley, OR · Echo Highlands, Birmingham, AL · Granville, Prescott Valley, AZ · Willow Creek, Kansas City, MO · Park, Redford, MI · Old Town Florissant, Florissant, MO
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 Central. 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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