Population 35,123 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West End
Household size in West End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.15 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.22 | 2.58 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.49 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.00 | −0.02 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in West End are small: just 2.14 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. Only one other Tacoma 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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6 | 36.5 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 37.5 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 37.5 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.8 | 38.3 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +1.8 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.8, West End is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.6 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. West End has the oldest population of any Tacoma 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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 14.3% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 13.4% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 11.6% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 13.5% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.4% of households in West End, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Tacoma neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 End
Renters in West End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.7% | 43.3% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 50.7% | 46.1% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.2% | 44.9% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.7% | 41.9% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in West End than nationally: 46.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Just over a third of owners (34.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west. Only two of Tacoma's ten neighborhoods have a higher share of renters.
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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 8.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.4% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in West End: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Among Tacoma's ten neighborhoods, though, only two have a higher vacancy rate.
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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1964 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1965 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1967 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1968 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in West End was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Tacoma overall, where the median home dates to 1968. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,027 | $1,024 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,100 | $1,110 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,308 | $1,297 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,967 | $1,845 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$940 | +$821 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in West End pays $1,967 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $940 a month from 2006–10, a 91% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the north.
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 End
Bachelor's degrees in West End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 22.3% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.0% | 24.4% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.8% | 28.5% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.6% | 32.6% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.7 pts | +10.3 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in West End than nationally: 42.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Tacoma neighborhood has a higher 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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.0% | 87.5% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 88.0% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 89.2% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 90.2% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in West End: 95.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Few Tacoma neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates: only two of 10.
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 End
| Period | West End | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 9.3% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 11.2% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.6% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 6.2% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in West End than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Only one other Tacoma neighborhood has lower unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 End 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 End | 2.14 | 45.8 | 8.4% | 46.7% | 5.9% | 1977 | $1,967 | 42.6% | 95.0% | 4.1% |
| North End | 2.32 | 39.8 | 7.3% | 33.0% | 4.9% | 1943 | $1,813 | 65.7% | 98.3% | 4.1% |
| Central | 2.30 | 39.4 | 16.0% | 42.3% | 4.5% | 1953 | $1,680 | 35.0% | 93.1% | 3.7% |
| New Tacoma | 1.69 | 33.8 | 11.8% | 83.1% | 7.9% | 1961 | $1,475 | 38.4% | 89.6% | 7.8% |
| South Tacoma | 2.34 | 34.1 | 18.5% | 58.7% | 5.5% | 1975 | $1,692 | 22.1% | 87.8% | 8.2% |
| South End | 2.72 | 37.0 | 15.6% | 36.8% | 5.8% | 1960 | $1,767 | 21.1% | 86.8% | 7.7% |
| Eastside Enact | 2.91 | 35.8 | 18.2% | 30.6% | 5.8% | 1964 | $1,713 | 21.7% | 83.5% | 6.7% |
| Northeast Tacoma | 2.72 | 39.5 | 10.3% | 26.4% | 3.2% | 1989 | $2,369 | 39.6% | 95.4% | 4.5% |
| Twin Lakes | 2.94 | 40.6 | 13.6% | 25.9% | 5.2% | 1977 | $1,978 | 36.5% | 90.2% | 3.9% |
| Waller | 2.63 | 41.0 | 9.4% | 14.2% | 3.9% | 1982 | $1,600 | 30.6% | 93.6% | 4.2% |
| Woodbrook | 2.57 | 25.4 | 16.6% | 88.6% | 10.9% | 1986 | $1,712 | 13.4% | 86.9% | 9.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Mxcully-Moiliili, Honolulu, HI · Kips Bay, Manhattan, NY · La Habra City, La Habra, CA · La Sierra, Riverside, CA · Laurelton, Queens, NY · Little Woods, New Orleans, LA · Los Feliz, Los Angeles, CA · M Streets, Dallas, TX · Mar Vista, Los Angeles, CA · Maspeth, 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 West End. 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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