Population 10,379 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Westside Community Betterment
Household size in Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.16 | 2.24 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.27 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.11 | 2.18 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.25 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Westside Community Betterment are small: just 2.19 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 crept up from 2.16 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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6 | 36.8 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.6 | 37.2 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.6 | 37.3 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.6 | 38.2 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.4 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Westside Community Betterment is 36.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 34.6 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 10.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 10.4% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 9.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in Westside Community Betterment (13.2%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Westside Community Betterment
Renters in Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.8% | 42.4% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 61.6% | 45.2% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.5% | 49.3% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 62.5% | 47.5% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +14.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Westside Community Betterment: 62.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 46.1% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northwest. The renter share is up 14.8 points from 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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 8.5% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 9.2% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 7.3% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 7.3% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Westside Community Betterment: 6.2% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Westside Community Betterment has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Springfield neighborhoods.
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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1976 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1977 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1980 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Westside Community Betterment leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the northeast. Compared with other Springfield neighborhoods, though, Westside Community Betterment has newer homes than most.
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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $633 | $682 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $704 | $753 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $759 | $830 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $987 | $1,070 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$353 | +$387 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in Westside Community Betterment pays $987 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $353 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 38.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Westside Community Betterment
Bachelor's degrees in Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 28.5% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 29.5% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 30.7% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.8% | 33.5% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Westside Community Betterment: 17.8% 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 3.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.9% | 88.2% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.7% | 89.8% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.0% | 91.5% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.2% | 93.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.3 pts | +5.2 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Westside Community Betterment never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 13.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Westside Community Betterment
| Period | Westside Community Betterment | Springfield | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 4.3% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −3.3 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Westside Community Betterment is close to the national rate: 5.3% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Springfield overall (3.8%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.3 points, mirroring the country.
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).
Westside Community Betterment 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westside Community Betterment | 2.19 | 36.6 | 13.2% | 62.5% | 6.2% | 1974 | $987 | 17.8% | 87.2% | 5.3% |
| West Central | 2.10 | 32.7 | 15.2% | 72.5% | 10.6% | 1951 | $905 | 18.6% | 86.7% | 10.3% |
| Heart of the Westside | 2.60 | 29.3 | 12.7% | 54.0% | 11.7% | 1962 | $939 | 7.3% | 74.9% | 11.9% |
| Fassnight | 1.89 | 35.8 | 12.4% | 61.6% | 6.6% | 1977 | $1,034 | 39.4% | 94.6% | 3.1% |
| Young-Lilly | 2.43 | 38.0 | 10.9% | 38.2% | 3.7% | 1995 | $1,028 | 31.6% | 95.2% | 6.0% |
| Downtown Springfield | 1.66 | 30.1 | 7.7% | 93.9% | 15.5% | 1960 | $861 | 27.2% | 89.0% | 2.7% |
| Grant Beach | 2.76 | 31.1 | 17.6% | 57.7% | 24.0% | 1947 | $917 | 14.8% | 82.4% | 5.1% |
| Tom Watkins | 2.45 | 30.5 | 15.4% | 44.6% | 9.6% | 1976 | $960 | 12.4% | 86.3% | 4.7% |
| Phelps | 2.04 | 30.5 | 6.5% | 65.4% | 9.7% | 1966 | $975 | 51.3% | 97.2% | 8.1% |
| Seminole Holland | 2.18 | 33.4 | 18.4% | 50.1% | 5.3% | 1969 | $1,082 | 30.3% | 97.0% | 0.4% |
| Midtown Springfield | 2.34 | 25.1 | 7.4% | 65.2% | 13.9% | 1946 | $710 | 23.6% | 87.8% | 2.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Burbank-Hayward, Hayward, CA · Victoria, Riverside, CA · Mt Vernon Square, Washington, DC · North End, Boise, ID · Beverly, Toledo, OH · Northside, Riverside, CA · Petosky-Otsego, Detroit, MI · Richmond, Lehigh Acres, FL · Scott Park, Toledo, OH · Southcrest, San Diego, 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 Westside Community Betterment. 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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