Population 5,479 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Walnut
Household size in West Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.24 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in West Walnut average 2.69 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Allentown area as a whole, where it has 2.56 people. Household size has climbed from 2.45 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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.9 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.6 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.9 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
West Walnut is young: half of its residents are under 34.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children. The median age has dropped from 37.5 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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.3% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.5% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in five households in West Walnut (19.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Compared with other Allentown neighborhoods, though, West Walnut has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Walnut
Renters in West Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.9% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 65.6% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.8% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 63.5% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in West Walnut: 63.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 31.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southwest.
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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in West Walnut is close to the national rate: 8.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Allentown area as a whole (6.5%).
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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1941 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | −8 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
West Walnut is a place of older homes: half were built before 1941, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $741 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $842 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $907 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,276 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$535 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in West Walnut runs $1,276 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $535 a month from 2006–10, a 72% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 39.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the south.
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 Walnut
Bachelor's degrees in West Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in West Walnut: 20.6% 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 5.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the southeast.
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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.1% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.8% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.3% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.2% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in six adults in West Walnut never finished high school, well above the national share: only 84.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.1 points, mirroring the country. Compared with other Allentown neighborhoods, though, West Walnut has a higher share of high school graduates than most.
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 Walnut
| Period | West Walnut | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in West Walnut: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.8 points, in line with the national trend. 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 Walnut 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 Walnut | 2.69 | 34.6 | 19.5% | 63.5% | 8.4% | 1941 | $1,276 | 20.6% | 84.2% | 9.1% |
| West Park | 2.58 | 37.8 | 24.0% | 77.0% | 8.4% | 1949 | $1,155 | 14.4% | 79.3% | 5.9% |
| Old Allentown | 2.98 | 31.3 | 31.3% | 68.8% | 14.6% | 1940 | $1,322 | 14.2% | 79.4% | 12.7% |
| Downtown | 2.03 | 32.3 | 13.5% | 88.0% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,370 | 27.1% | 85.0% | 6.2% |
| Fairview | 2.54 | 33.1 | 21.5% | 64.2% | 4.9% | 1953 | $1,321 | 13.6% | 81.1% | 10.9% |
| Eighth Ward | 3.19 | 32.7 | 29.6% | 55.2% | 9.1% | 1944 | $1,411 | 9.0% | 78.1% | 9.6% |
| 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% |
| 1st Ward | 3.35 | 27.7 | 39.1% | 72.7% | 14.0% | 1939 | $1,281 | 13.4% | 87.1% | 13.0% |
| salisbury | 2.62 | 43.8 | 11.8% | 19.1% | 7.5% | 1969 | $1,458 | 35.0% | 90.6% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Abilene Heights Area, Abilene, TX · South Hagginwood, Sacramento, CA · Sierra Montana, Surprise, AZ · Shoreview, San Mateo, CA · Seven Bar Ranch, Albuquerque, NM · Sandalfoot Cove, Boca Raton, FL · Riviera East, Houston, TX · Northwest Arvada, Arvada, CO · Lakeside Park, Tucson, AZ · La Cresta-Alta Vista, Bakersfield, 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 Walnut. 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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