Census data shows where Capitol Hill has grown the most (+ where you might find reasonable rent)

If you have lived on the Hill since 2000, odds are you have a few more neighbors now than you did eleven years ago. Like the city as a whole, data from the 2010 Census shows growth in population in most census blocks on the Hill. Here's what else we found.

• The static north (blue): Unlike many other neighborhoods in the city, the Hill north of Republican did not see changes in demographics. The white majority population today is relatively similar to 2000 in most parts of the neighborhood. The Hispanic and Asian populations both grew significantly, though they rarely make up more than 10% in any census block on the Hill (the census block shared by Pike/Pine and First Hill west of Broadway is 12% Asian).

View 2010 Census Zones in a larger map
• Hot spot (red) -- where we grew the most: The area between Broadway and 15th south of Republican and north of Madison saw the largest increase in population, jumping 13% since 2000. Most of the new residents are white, Hispanic, Asian or multiracial. There was growth along E Olive Way west of Broadway, but areas to the north and south actually saw tiny declines.

  Mark Nowlin / The Seattle Times. With permission. View their map online.

• Transition zone (yellow) -- where we changed the most: The biggest changes occurred along Madison in areas where Capitol Hill historically meets the Central District. While these areas just north of Madison saw some of the biggest growth in population, the black population declined by about a quarter in the same time period.

This trend matches what has happened in much of the Central District as population growth — often in the double digits — has coincided with declines in the black population. The Central Area, at the heart of the CD, has a white majority now for the first time in over 60 years.

• Elbow room (green) -- available housing: One statistic that has changed drastically since 2000 is the number of vacant units on the Hill. Perhaps it was a sign of the times, the housing bubble and that moment of the recession in 2010, but nearly all of the city saw an increase in the number of vacant units compared to 2000.

On the Hill, the area between 15th and I-5 surrounding Volunteer Park has seen an increase in housing units of 7%, but an increase in vacant housing of 242%.

Even in the "hot zone," the area bounded by Republican, Madison, Broadway and 15th has seen the number of housing units increase by 18% and the number of vacant units has gone up 144%. 

• Only the area around Miller Park saw the new housing rate outpace the growth in vacancies.

Data from the 2010 Census is still being released, so there will likely be many more numbers to dive into in the future. Plus, we're also learning more about how to extract useful insights from the dataset so we can look at information related to LGBT demographics and more information about things like car ownership. To explore these changes (and more) yourself, the New York Times has created an excellent interactive map for the whole country. Seattle Times has also created an interactive map looking at changes in the state and region. We also know the CHS community is a talented bunch. If you've dug into the numbers at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/ and have something to share about Seattle and Capitol Hill, let us know.