Population 4,984 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Woods
Household size in West Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 2.28 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.78 | 2.39 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.36 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.44 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | +0.16 | −0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in West Woods run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Golden as a whole, where it has 2.44 people. Household size has dropped from 2.72 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 40.7 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.5 | 39.1 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.7 | 40.8 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.8 | 39.2 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | −1.5 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
West Woods skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 6.9% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 7.9% | 11.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 5.8% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 8.5% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.2% of households in West Woods, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Woods
Renters in West Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 33.0% | 33.5% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 32.7% | 36.4% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 30.0% | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 32.9% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −0.1 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
West Woods is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 7.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three in ten owners (28.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 7.1% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 5.7% | 5.5% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +0.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in West Woods: just 2.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1992 | 1980 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1981 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1999 | 1982 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1983 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in West Woods is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1995, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,312 | $1,068 | $1,128 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,517 | $1,228 | $1,245 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,942 | $1,614 | $1,606 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,982 | $2,254 | $2,181 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,670 | +$1,186 | +$1,053 | +$912 | +$606 |
The median renter in West Woods pays $2,982 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 32.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the west.
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 Woods
Bachelor's degrees in West Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.3% | 52.5% | 38.1% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 59.7% | 55.6% | 40.0% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.6% | 59.7% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 69.3% | 61.6% | 49.1% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.9 pts | +9.1 pts | +11.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
West Woods is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (69.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.0% | 95.8% | 88.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.4% | 96.2% | 89.8% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.2% | 96.7% | 91.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 97.5% | 92.1% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in West Woods: 98.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Golden.
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 Woods
| Period | West Woods | Golden | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 6.2% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 5.2% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 4.6% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in West Woods has been strong: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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 Woods 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 Woods | 2.52 | 45.8 | 3.2% | 7.8% | 2.8% | 1995 | $2,982 | 69.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
| Ralston Valley | 2.35 | 47.1 | 4.3% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 1988 | $2,459 | 49.9% | 97.5% | 5.2% |
| Northwest Arvada | 2.41 | 43.6 | 7.7% | 23.1% | 6.5% | 1976 | $2,479 | 50.0% | 96.8% | 2.6% |
| Allendale Area | 2.42 | 37.4 | 7.1% | 37.7% | 6.9% | 1991 | $1,925 | 50.6% | 95.9% | 0.4% |
| Fruitdale | 2.16 | 37.6 | 8.9% | 57.0% | 4.2% | 1980 | $1,727 | 43.5% | 94.0% | 3.6% |
| Applewood | 2.33 | 47.0 | 6.9% | 29.1% | 7.2% | 1973 | $2,106 | 63.0% | 97.4% | 4.4% |
| East Old Golden Road | 2.27 | 36.0 | 10.8% | 51.5% | 5.0% | 1980 | $2,111 | 35.7% | 94.9% | 5.1% |
| Arvada Plaza Area | 2.11 | 35.7 | 12.0% | 62.4% | 8.6% | 1976 | $1,908 | 43.8% | 92.5% | 7.1% |
| Scenic Heights | 2.18 | 46.8 | 5.6% | 28.7% | 9.3% | 1969 | $1,886 | 45.7% | 95.1% | 2.0% |
| Bel Aire | 2.09 | 45.5 | 7.3% | 41.4% | 7.4% | 1965 | $1,887 | 44.5% | 98.0% | 3.3% |
| Union Square | 2.07 | 29.4 | 12.2% | 78.3% | 8.6% | 1990 | $1,891 | 40.9% | 93.8% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Heights, Laredo, TX · Knollwood, Kalamazoo, MI · Kenawood-Rockwood, Lexington, KY · Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CA · Juneau Town, Milwaukee, WI · Jingletown, Oakland, CA · Jefferson-Carl Ben, Fargo, ND · Jacksonville Heights West, Jacksonville, FL · Ingram Hills, San Antonio, TX · Horseshoe Park, Aurora, CO
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 Woods. 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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