Population 21,894 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Central
Household size in West Central
| Period | West Central | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.38 | 2.56 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.61 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.59 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.09 | 2.42 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.29 | −0.13 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in West Central are small: just 2.09 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 2.38 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Pasadena neighborhood has smaller households.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.1 | 38.4 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.0 | 38.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.7 | 40.5 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.9 | 41.9 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +3.5 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
West Central is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.9, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.1, as it has nationally. West Central has the youngest population of any Pasadena neighborhood.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 9.6% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 10.0% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 8.4% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 9.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in West Central as they are nationally: 10.9%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Pasadena overall (9.0%). The single-parent share has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.8% | 54.0% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 83.6% | 55.9% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 86.6% | 57.5% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 85.2% | 56.5% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +2.6 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in West Central: 85.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 33.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the northwest. West Central has the highest share of renters of any Pasadena neighborhood.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 8.5% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 8.1% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.3% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 9.2% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | +0.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in West Central than nationally: 7.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Pasadena. Vacancy has fallen 3.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1955 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1957 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1958 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1960 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in West Central leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are newer than in Pasadena as a whole, where the median home dates to 1960. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northwest has the oldest housing. No other Pasadena neighborhood has newer homes.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,316 | $1,342 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,310 | $1,474 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,646 | $1,875 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,127 | $2,366 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$811 | +$1,024 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in West Central runs $2,127 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in Pasadena overall ($2,366). Rents are up $811 a month from 2006–10, a 62% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 33.7% of household income on rent, 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 Central
Bachelor's degrees in West Central
| Period | West Central | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0% | 46.0% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.8% | 49.0% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.1% | 52.8% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.1% | 55.7% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
West Central is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (47.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Locally, though, the share is lower than in Pasadena as a whole (55.7%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.1 points, in line with the national trend. Of Pasadena's ten neighborhoods, only two have a lower share of college graduates.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.3% | 83.7% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 86.4% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 88.3% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.9% | 89.8% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +6.1 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in West Central never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 7.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Pasadena's ten neighborhoods, only two have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.7% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 9.1% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 4.3% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Central is close to the national rate: 5.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 | 2.09 | 36.9 | 10.9% | 85.2% | 7.7% | 1974 | $2,127 | 47.1% | 85.9% | 5.0% |
| Madison Heights | 1.91 | 41.5 | 5.1% | 63.2% | 8.5% | 1966 | $2,472 | 72.2% | 93.8% | 7.1% |
| North Central | 3.18 | 38.2 | 18.4% | 60.8% | 10.1% | 1953 | $1,939 | 27.6% | 72.8% | 7.7% |
| Mid Central | 2.44 | 40.2 | 9.0% | 66.2% | 5.0% | 1956 | $2,256 | 56.9% | 91.7% | 9.0% |
| Normandie Heights | 2.75 | 44.0 | 10.5% | 48.1% | 6.1% | 1945 | $2,090 | 42.7% | 82.6% | 6.6% |
| South Arroyo | 2.17 | 44.9 | 5.4% | 47.7% | 15.0% | 1971 | $3,020 | 74.5% | 98.4% | 4.0% |
| East Central | 2.54 | 46.1 | 6.0% | 29.5% | 6.9% | 1947 | $2,571 | 60.5% | 94.8% | 3.8% |
| South East | 2.30 | 44.6 | 5.5% | 50.2% | 10.9% | 1954 | $2,358 | 65.4% | 95.9% | 3.5% |
| North Arroyo | 2.51 | 50.6 | 6.7% | 20.0% | 9.8% | 1955 | $2,789 | 61.5% | 94.4% | 5.5% |
| North East | 2.54 | 46.5 | 7.6% | 31.7% | 7.7% | 1961 | $2,727 | 61.9% | 95.0% | 3.5% |
| Highland Park | 2.64 | 37.4 | 9.0% | 67.0% | 5.1% | 1957 | $2,006 | 38.3% | 80.1% | 9.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: The Waterfront, Jersey City, NJ · Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi, TX · Fort Totten-Upper Northeast, Washington, DC · Kensington, Philadelphia, PA · Maplewood-Ashcreek, Portland, OR · Mililani Mauka-Launani Valley, Mililani, HI · Mountain View, El Monte, CA · Sommerset West-Elmonica South, Hillsboro, OR · South, Raleigh, NC · Southwestern Outer Drive, Dearborn, MI
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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