Population 36,498 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West University
Household size in West University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in West University has 2.48 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.43 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the southeast.
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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.0 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in West University are younger than 39.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Houston area overall, where the median age is 36.4. West University is older than the great majority of Houston neighborhoods.
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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West University: 5.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.9 points, in line with the national trend. West University has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Houston 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 University
Renters in West University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.8% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.5% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.1% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in West University than nationally: 45.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 43.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has risen 5.6 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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in West University: 7.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Houston area. Vacancy is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +15 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in West University is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, 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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,470 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,687 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,005 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,310 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$840 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West University costs $2,310 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $840 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. West University has the highest rents of any Houston 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 University
Bachelor's degrees in West University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.3% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.8% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.6% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 83.9% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
West University is highly educated: just over eight in ten adults 25 and older (83.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. West University has the highest share of college graduates of any Houston neighborhood.
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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.2% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.2% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.6% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.3% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in West University: 98.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only five of Houston's 63 neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 University
| Period | West University | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in West University than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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 University 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 University | 2.48 | 39.5 | 5.1% | 45.1% | 7.7% | 1994 | $2,310 | 83.9% | 98.3% | 4.2% |
| Rice | 2.34 | 36.3 | 2.8% | 47.5% | 13.2% | 1985 | $2,087 | 77.1% | 99.2% | 3.9% |
| Medical | 1.87 | 34.9 | 5.6% | 74.7% | 10.5% | 1993 | $1,558 | 71.9% | 97.4% | 7.1% |
| River Oaks | 1.77 | 42.6 | 4.7% | 63.3% | 12.1% | 1995 | $2,054 | 78.7% | 98.2% | 4.0% |
| South Main | 1.69 | 36.0 | 10.4% | 84.0% | 12.1% | 2005 | $1,610 | 50.2% | 98.2% | 5.0% |
| Willow Meadows-Willowbend Area | 2.08 | 43.3 | 7.3% | 71.9% | 9.8% | 1976 | $1,159 | 41.8% | 76.5% | 3.9% |
| Montrose | 1.75 | 36.3 | 3.1% | 62.7% | 13.5% | 1993 | $1,741 | 78.3% | 98.4% | 5.0% |
| Galleria-Uptown | 2.02 | 39.2 | 9.2% | 69.2% | 14.5% | 1986 | $1,624 | 57.8% | 88.5% | 6.2% |
| Midtown | 1.57 | 33.3 | 3.7% | 79.9% | 9.6% | 2004 | $1,912 | 73.4% | 98.9% | 3.1% |
| Fourth Ward | 1.79 | 31.4 | 8.7% | 80.1% | 11.3% | 2003 | $1,856 | 69.9% | 99.3% | 7.8% |
| Washington Avenue-Memorial Park | 1.73 | 32.5 | 2.8% | 76.0% | 10.2% | 2005 | $1,943 | 75.4% | 98.2% | 1.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Great Bridge, Chesapeake, VA · Forest Park, Springfield, MA · Frankford, Philadelphia, PA · Fresh Meadows, Queens, NY · Gage Park, Chicago, IL · Garfield Ridge, Chicago, IL · Wolf Creek, Dallas, TX · Glassell Park, Los Angeles, CA · Glendale, Queens, NY · Fishtown, Philadelphia, PA
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 University. 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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