Population 26,956 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Side
Household size in West Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.86 | 2.97 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.95 | 3.00 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.84 | 2.91 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.53 | 2.78 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.33 | −0.20 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in West Side are large by national standards, averaging 3.53 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.86, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Long Beach neighborhood has larger 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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2 | 33.5 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.6 | 34.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.0 | 36.3 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.7 | +4.9 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in West Side are younger than 39.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in Long Beach as a whole, where the median age is 38.3. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 30.2, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 17.9% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 17.2% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 14.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in five households in West Side (19.7%), well above the national share of 11.6%. West Side has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Long Beach neighborhoods.
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 Side
Renters in West Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.4% | 57.6% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.3% | 59.7% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.4% | 60.0% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.5% | 58.7% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.8 pts | +1.1 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in West Side rent their homes (44.5%), above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in Long Beach as a whole (58.7%). About three in ten owners (30.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 6.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 8.5% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 7.1% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 5.7% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −2.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in West Side: 7.2% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of Long Beach. Vacancy is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1956 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1957 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1959 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1960 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in West Side is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, 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 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $961 | $1,142 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,173 | $1,242 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,283 | $1,490 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,818 | $2,041 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$857 | +$898 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Side costs $1,818 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Long Beach overall ($2,041). Rents are up $857 a month from 2006–10, an 89% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.1% of the typical renter's income, 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 Side
Bachelor's degrees in West Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 26.6% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 27.4% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 29.7% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.7% | 34.5% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in West Side: 22.7% 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 6.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the south.
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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.9% | 77.2% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 73.7% | 78.1% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 73.0% | 79.4% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.8% | 81.8% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +4.6 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly a quarter of adults in West Side never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 6.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. West Side has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Long Beach neighborhoods.
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 Side
| Period | West Side | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 10.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 12.5% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 6.2% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −3.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in West Side: 8.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.5 points, 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 Side 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 Side | 3.53 | 39.9 | 19.7% | 44.5% | 7.2% | 1960 | $1,818 | 22.7% | 75.8% | 8.4% |
| Wrigley | 3.15 | 37.3 | 18.7% | 65.8% | 6.8% | 1958 | $1,675 | 22.7% | 77.0% | 9.7% |
| Los Cerritos | 2.74 | 43.5 | 14.3% | 39.0% | 6.8% | 1961 | $2,216 | 45.1% | 91.8% | 3.6% |
| Poly High District | 3.32 | 35.7 | 21.7% | 77.3% | 7.4% | 1959 | $1,692 | 13.7% | 60.4% | 8.1% |
| Californial Heights | 2.53 | 42.0 | 10.4% | 40.6% | 4.8% | 1950 | $2,321 | 46.4% | 92.6% | 2.7% |
| Bixby Knolls | 2.56 | 34.5 | 12.2% | 55.6% | 4.5% | 1954 | $2,014 | 60.8% | 95.8% | 5.7% |
| Downtown Long Beach | 2.18 | 35.8 | 13.9% | 79.1% | 10.5% | 1966 | $1,916 | 35.3% | 80.4% | 8.5% |
| Bixby Area | 2.77 | 40.2 | 12.9% | 41.3% | 4.7% | 1955 | $1,947 | 38.4% | 88.0% | 8.0% |
| Rancho Dominguez | 2.78 | 49.3 | 13.3% | 16.4% | 6.3% | 1980 | $1,282 | 24.6% | 80.9% | 6.9% |
| Circle Area | 2.52 | 33.8 | 12.9% | 71.8% | 5.6% | 1967 | $2,060 | 35.9% | 79.3% | 5.6% |
| East Side | 2.30 | 36.3 | 12.0% | 77.5% | 5.9% | 1961 | $1,943 | 39.6% | 83.4% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bellevue, Nashville, TN · Brentwood, Washington, DC · Brice-Tussing, Columbus, OH · Broadmoor-Sherwood, Baton Rouge, LA · Stapleton, Denver, CO · North Linden, Columbus, OH · Northeast, Anchorage, AK · Oak Forest-Garden Oaks, Houston, TX · Oakwood, Staten Island, NY · Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
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 Side. 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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