Population 6,297 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Westside
Household size in Westside
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.87 | 2.34 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.95 | 2.34 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.92 | 2.30 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.93 | 2.27 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.07 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Westside is a place of small households, averaging 1.93 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 1.87, even as the national average fell. Only one other Missoula neighborhood has smaller households.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.7 | 34.4 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.2 | 35.5 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.2 | 35.9 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.8 | 36.4 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +2.0 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.8, Westside is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the south.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 8.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.3% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 9.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Westside: 7.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.0 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Westside
Renters in Westside
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.9% | 43.8% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.9% | 45.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.7% | 46.6% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 66.7% | 46.8% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +2.9 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Westside: 66.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 53.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 8.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Missoula neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.5% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.5% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 6.5% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.0% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Westside than nationally: 6.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Missoula as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1992 | 1978 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1977 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1978 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1983 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Westside is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1995, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1992 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast. Only two of Missoula's 14 neighborhoods have newer homes.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $728 | $763 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $710 | $847 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $795 | $939 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,267 | $1,350 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$539 | +$587 | +$487 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Westside costs $1,267 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $539 a month since 2006–10, up 74%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the east.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Westside
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 39.5% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 42.5% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 45.9% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.4% | 49.4% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +9.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Westside as nationally: 34.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in Missoula as a whole (49.4%). The share with a degree has risen 9.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Missoula neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.5% | 92.6% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.2% | 95.0% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 96.0% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 96.5% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Westside is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Missoula overall (96.5%). The share with a diploma has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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
| Period | Westside | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 9.1% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.5% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Westside runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has 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).
Westside 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 | 1.93 | 32.8 | 7.0% | 66.7% | 6.1% | 1995 | $1,267 | 34.4% | 93.9% | 4.4% |
| Emma Dickinson Orchard Homes | 1.98 | 32.2 | 8.7% | 56.6% | 9.4% | 1993 | $1,184 | 42.6% | 94.7% | 2.7% |
| Northside | 2.06 | 36.1 | 9.9% | 45.6% | 13.1% | 1961 | $1,360 | 52.0% | 95.8% | 3.7% |
| Captain John Mullan | 2.23 | 31.4 | 3.9% | 58.9% | 4.1% | 2009 | $1,572 | 46.2% | 98.1% | 2.5% |
| Heart of Missoula | 1.71 | 33.7 | 13.0% | 81.2% | 12.9% | 1967 | $1,035 | 51.1% | 92.1% | 8.0% |
| Franklin To The Fort | 2.10 | 37.7 | 12.3% | 52.0% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,209 | 44.3% | 95.6% | 2.9% |
| Rose Park | 1.96 | 34.4 | 9.1% | 56.4% | 6.1% | 1958 | $1,126 | 65.6% | 97.7% | 3.1% |
| University District | 2.31 | 25.3 | 5.7% | 58.6% | 9.8% | 1952 | $1,148 | 70.7% | 99.9% | 10.1% |
| Upper Rattlesnake | 2.59 | 45.2 | 5.3% | 19.3% | 8.8% | 1983 | $1,623 | 67.5% | 98.7% | 2.4% |
| Southgate Triangle | 2.04 | 34.1 | 12.0% | 58.5% | 6.3% | 1975 | $1,244 | 44.5% | 97.6% | 5.6% |
| Lewis and Clark | 2.11 | 36.8 | 22.0% | 52.3% | 5.6% | 1969 | $1,429 | 56.9% | 99.1% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bandini, Commerce, CA · Town and Country North, Cockeysville, MD · Sunset Hills, Lawrence, KS · Sun Groves, Chandler, AZ · St Jean, Detroit, MI · Southside, Huntington, WV · Hillcrest, Little Rock, AR · Hodgin, Albuquerque, NM · Las Positas, Santa Barbara, CA · Arlingwood, Jacksonville, FL
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. 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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