Population 5,442 · 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 Southwest 2: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in West Southwest 2
Household size in West Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.84 | 2.37 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.98 | 2.45 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.85 | 2.42 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.01 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in West Southwest 2 are small: just 2.01 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 climbed from 1.84 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4 | 38.6 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.6 | 39.1 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.6 | 39.9 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 40.2 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +1.5 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.4, West Southwest 2 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 43.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the east.
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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 14.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 13.0% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 10.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 12.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in West Southwest 2 as they are nationally: 11.7%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.1 points, 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 Southwest 2
Renters in West Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.5% | 34.9% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 52.8% | 37.4% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.8% | 37.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 55.9% | 34.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +0.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in West Southwest 2: 55.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 49.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the south. The renter share has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, 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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 9.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 10.7% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 8.6% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +0.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in West Southwest 2 is close to the national rate: 10.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Topeka overall (8.6%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.4 points, 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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1968 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1969 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1969 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1971 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in West Southwest 2 are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Topeka overall, where the median home dates to 1971. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $679 | $758 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $731 | $843 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $820 | $953 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,195 | $1,109 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$516 | +$351 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Southwest 2 costs $1,195 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in Topeka overall ($1,109). Rent has climbed $516 a month since 2006–10, up 76%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 25.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under 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 Southwest 2
Bachelor's degrees in West Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9% | 29.1% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.4% | 29.3% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.0% | 30.1% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 30.8% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in West Southwest 2 than nationally: 31.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 4.9 points, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northeast.
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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 89.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 90.2% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 91.5% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 92.3% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | +2.8 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Southwest 2 is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Topeka. The share with a diploma has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Southwest 2
| Period | West Southwest 2 | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.4% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.6% | 7.5% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.6% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 4.5% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Southwest 2 runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 1.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 Southwest 2 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 Southwest 2 | 2.01 | 44.4 | 11.7% | 55.9% | 10.5% | 1977 | $1,195 | 31.1% | 93.5% | 3.8% |
| West Southwest 3 | 2.18 | 44.8 | 6.2% | 34.1% | 8.6% | 1963 | $1,120 | 24.6% | 96.2% | 5.2% |
| Southwest Topeka | 2.29 | 42.7 | 11.7% | 34.8% | 4.6% | 1986 | $1,226 | 43.3% | 97.0% | 4.0% |
| Central Topeka 2 | 2.20 | 35.9 | 6.1% | 42.2% | 10.0% | 1958 | $894 | 37.4% | 95.4% | 6.7% |
| South Southeast 1 | 2.02 | 39.9 | 8.2% | 58.6% | 10.7% | 1971 | $939 | 34.3% | 96.9% | 4.6% |
| South Southeast 3 | 2.42 | 40.6 | 10.5% | 17.7% | 9.9% | 1985 | $1,657 | 26.3% | 94.1% | 1.2% |
| East Topeka | 2.43 | 34.5 | 26.9% | 44.9% | 8.3% | 1979 | $651 | 19.7% | 89.3% | 7.6% |
| Sunset Hills | 1.99 | 25.6 | 5.1% | 60.9% | 23.4% | 1969 | $904 | 48.1% | 96.1% | 11.5% |
| Oread | 2.37 | 22.0 | 7.7% | 90.1% | 13.0% | 1953 | $1,033 | 49.1% | 96.5% | 8.8% |
| Prairie-Piper-KC-KS | 2.94 | 39.1 | 18.7% | 28.0% | 6.0% | 2002 | $1,712 | 38.3% | 94.7% | 0.4% |
| I-435 West KC-KS | 2.95 | 37.2 | 9.1% | 25.3% | 4.6% | 2000 | $2,318 | 44.2% | 93.3% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Upper West Ridge, Woodinville, WA · Downtown Troy, Troy, MI · Downtown West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, FL · Eagle Point District, Dubuque, IA · East Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA · Eastlake, Seattle, WA · Enterprise, Redding, CA · West End, Portland, ME · Waltherson, Baltimore, MD · Verdugo Woodlands, Glendale, 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 Southwest 2. 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.