Population 25,658 · 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 Seattle: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in West Seattle
Household size in West Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.03 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.02 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.12 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.02 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
West Seattle is a place of small households, averaging 2.02 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated 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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.9 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.7 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.4 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in West Seattle are younger than 40.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Seattle area overall, where the median age is 38.8. The median age has dropped from 42.1 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West Seattle: 4.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 1.7 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Seattle
Renters in West Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.7% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.1% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.5% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.1% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in West Seattle rent: 51.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 23.9% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 11.3 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in West Seattle as nationally: 8.2%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Seattle area (6.6%). Vacancy is down 2.5 points from 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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Housing in West Seattle leans older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the northwest 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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,121 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,260 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,756 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,055 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$934 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in West Seattle runs $2,055 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Seattle area overall ($2,193). Rent has climbed $934 a month since 2006–10, up 83%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.6% of household income on rent, just over 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 Seattle
Bachelor's degrees in West Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.6% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.0% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.5% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 65.0% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.4 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in West Seattle: 65.0% 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. The share with a degree has risen 14.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.9% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.8% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.5% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in West Seattle: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.5 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 Seattle
| Period | West Seattle | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.7% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in West Seattle than nationally: unemployment was 4.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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 Seattle 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 Seattle | 2.02 | 40.7 | 4.7% | 51.1% | 8.2% | 1974 | $2,055 | 65.0% | 97.4% | 4.3% |
| North Delridge | 2.12 | 36.4 | 3.7% | 40.7% | 5.6% | 1989 | $2,327 | 62.1% | 98.4% | 5.3% |
| High Point | 2.52 | 35.5 | 9.2% | 40.9% | 4.1% | 1987 | $1,937 | 55.3% | 95.1% | 6.5% |
| Admiral | 2.21 | 41.6 | 6.5% | 41.3% | 7.2% | 1956 | $1,934 | 68.0% | 98.3% | 4.8% |
| Riverview | 2.64 | 38.1 | 14.9% | 23.6% | 2.8% | 1974 | $2,658 | 49.8% | 93.6% | 0.4% |
| Alki | 2.17 | 46.0 | 3.7% | 48.1% | 9.8% | 1968 | $2,374 | 66.5% | 97.9% | 2.6% |
| Roxhill | 2.15 | 39.3 | 8.7% | 36.7% | 6.3% | 1960 | $2,096 | 54.9% | 95.4% | 4.8% |
| Fauntleroy | 2.17 | 46.9 | 6.0% | 22.7% | 6.2% | 1957 | $2,172 | 76.2% | 98.3% | 2.9% |
| South Delridge | 2.56 | 36.0 | 15.3% | 41.8% | 3.6% | 1968 | $2,244 | 38.0% | 90.7% | 6.4% |
| Highland Park | 2.23 | 40.5 | 7.0% | 40.8% | 10.4% | 1974 | $1,892 | 49.1% | 94.4% | 2.4% |
| Arbor Heights | 2.31 | 42.3 | 13.4% | 12.8% | 6.0% | 1951 | $2,494 | 68.1% | 98.4% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Baychester, Bronx, NY · Ramona, Riverside, CA · Point Breeze-Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA · Oxon Hill-Glassmanor, Oxon Hill, MD · Shadow Creek Ranch, Pearland, TX · Springfield Gardens, Queens, NY · UC Irvine, Irvine, CA · Highland, St. Paul, MN · Greater Upper Marlboro, Brock Hall, MD · West Village, Manhattan, 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 Seattle. 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.