Population 6,716 · 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 Park: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in West Park
Household size in West Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, West Park sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.47, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the northwest.
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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.5 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.9 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.8 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
West Park is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 33.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the north.
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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 25.2% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 24.0% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly a quarter of households in West Park (24.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.2 points from 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 Park
Renters in West Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.8% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 69.7% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.6% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 77.0% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +12.2 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in West Park rent: 77.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. The renter share has risen 12.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Allentown neighborhood has 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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in West Park as nationally: 8.4%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Allentown area overall (6.5%). Vacancy has fallen 3.4 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in West Park is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1949, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1945 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southeast 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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $666 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $742 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $864 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,155 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$489 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Park costs $1,155 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $489 a month since 2006–10, up 74%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 38.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. West Park has the lowest rents of any Allentown neighborhood.
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 Park
Bachelor's degrees in West Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in West Park: 14.4% 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 1.2 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northwest.
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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.2% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.5% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 73.1% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.3% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in West Park never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 7.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Park
| Period | West Park | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Park is close to the national rate: 5.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 Park 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 Park | 2.58 | 37.8 | 24.0% | 77.0% | 8.4% | 1949 | $1,155 | 14.4% | 79.3% | 5.9% |
| West Walnut | 2.69 | 34.6 | 19.5% | 63.5% | 8.4% | 1941 | $1,276 | 20.6% | 84.2% | 9.1% |
| Old Allentown | 2.98 | 31.3 | 31.3% | 68.8% | 14.6% | 1940 | $1,322 | 14.2% | 79.4% | 12.7% |
| Eighth Ward | 3.19 | 32.7 | 29.6% | 55.2% | 9.1% | 1944 | $1,411 | 9.0% | 78.1% | 9.6% |
| Downtown | 2.03 | 32.3 | 13.5% | 88.0% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,370 | 27.1% | 85.0% | 6.2% |
| West End Theatre District | 2.16 | 44.4 | 10.5% | 35.6% | 5.3% | 1950 | $1,334 | 38.7% | 87.9% | 7.2% |
| Jordan Heights | 3.40 | 26.6 | 30.8% | 75.5% | 9.1% | 1938 | $1,265 | 11.6% | 66.6% | 13.7% |
| NoTi | 3.22 | 33.7 | 24.8% | 56.6% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,493 | 8.1% | 69.5% | 14.2% |
| Fairview | 2.54 | 33.1 | 21.5% | 64.2% | 4.9% | 1953 | $1,321 | 13.6% | 81.1% | 10.9% |
| 1st Ward | 3.35 | 27.7 | 39.1% | 72.7% | 14.0% | 1939 | $1,281 | 13.4% | 87.1% | 13.0% |
| 6th Ward | 2.86 | 31.0 | 32.4% | 55.1% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,358 | 12.3% | 79.8% | 15.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Atlantic, Seattle, WA · Back Central, Lowell, MA · Baker, Denver, CO · Bal Bay, Orlando, FL · Bala Cynwyd, Bala-Cynwyd, PA · Ball Square, Somerville, MA · Bessemer, Pueblo, CO · Bowdoin Apartments, Malden, MA · Boynton, Detroit, MI · Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge, MA
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 Park. 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.