Population 41 · 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 Western: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Western
Household size in Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.03 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.76 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.52 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Western average 2.76 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has climbed from 2.24 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.5 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.1 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.3 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Western skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Western: 6.3% of households, against 11.6% 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 Western
Renters in Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 7.1% of households in Western rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About half of owners (49.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above 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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −15.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Western as nationally: 9.9%, against 9.6%.
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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Western run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980.
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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $520 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $659 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $479 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $898 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$378 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Western pays $898 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 14.7% 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 Western
Bachelor's degrees in Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.4% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +22.4 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Western (26.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 69.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.6% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.4% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in six adults in Western never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
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 Western
| Period | Western | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.0% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.3 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The survey found almost no one in Western out of work and looking, against 5.4% of the labor force nationally. 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).
Western compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western | 2.76 | 47.3 | 6.3% | 7.1% | 9.9% | 1974 | $898 | 26.1% | 84.4% | 0.0% |
| Narrows | 2.72 | 38.2 | 4.5% | 21.9% | 20.2% | 1958 | $791 | 18.0% | 92.5% | 1.2% |
| Thessalia | 2.76 | 47.3 | 6.3% | 7.1% | 9.9% | 1974 | $898 | 26.1% | 84.4% | 0.0% |
| Willowton | 2.32 | 51.4 | 2.0% | 21.3% | 23.1% | 1975 | $642 | 11.5% | 88.4% | 3.4% |
| Penvir | 2.16 | 39.3 | 3.9% | 14.5% | 18.8% | 1977 | $543 | 11.3% | 91.0% | 1.7% |
| Glen Lyn | 2.24 | 48.5 | 2.4% | 18.1% | 20.6% | 1968 | $735 | 14.5% | 92.1% | 1.0% |
| Rich Creek | 2.48 | 48.8 | 2.5% | 36.2% | 23.8% | 1958 | $801 | 16.6% | 94.4% | 0.6% |
| Pearisburg | 2.33 | 47.1 | 5.1% | 24.8% | 16.3% | 1969 | $859 | 17.0% | 94.9% | 1.7% |
| Klotz | 2.55 | 36.5 | 2.5% | 19.0% | 2.8% | 1967 | $1,074 | 21.3% | 99.2% | 0.0% |
| Staffordsville | 2.76 | 47.3 | 6.3% | 7.1% | 9.9% | 1974 | $898 | 26.1% | 84.4% | 0.0% |
| Phlegar | 2.52 | 44.1 | 5.3% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 1975 | $756 | 20.2% | 87.0% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: White Butte, SD · Heaton, ND · Helena, LA · Herman, NJ · Hesper, IA · Whitlow, CA · Whitefish Point, MI · White Hall, CA · White City, TX · Yost, UT
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 Western. 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.