Family Living
Where American Families Cluster: ZIPs With the Highest Child Population Share
Census age tables let you find the ZIPs with the highest concentration of children. The map is dominated by Sun Belt suburbs, Mormon Utah, and a few surprises.
By City Zip Compare Editorial · February 28, 2026 · 8 min read
If you want to find family-dense neighborhoods, the cleanest single Census signal is the share of population under 18. National average is about 22%. Sun Belt master-planned suburbs routinely run 32–38%. A handful of Utah ZIPs exceed 40%.
Three patterns dominate
Mormon Utah: ZIPs in Utah County (Provo, Lehi, Eagle Mountain) and northern Utah suburbs run consistently above 35% under 18.
Texas master-planned communities: Frisco (75033, 75034), Katy (77494), and Round Rock (78664) all sit in the 32–38% range, driven by deliberate family-oriented suburban development plus high birth rates among Texas's young in-migrants.
Hispanic-majority urban neighborhoods: many of these ZIPs combine high household size with high child share, even in older legacy metros — South Texas, parts of Phoenix and East Los Angeles.
- National under-18 share: ~22%
- Sun Belt family-suburb range: 32–38%
- Utah ZIPs at the top: often 40%+
- Lowest under-18 share: Florida retirement ZIPs (often <12%)
Search a ZIP to see child population share alongside income and housing cost.
Find Family-Dense ZIP CodesWhy this matters more than school rankings
A high child share is a leading indicator: more kids today means stable enrollment, more demand for family services, and a self-reinforcing cycle of family-friendly amenities. A low child share in a region with rising prices means schools may consolidate or close — a quiet risk to property value.
Pairing child-population data with affordability
A high child-share ZIP isn't automatically the right choice if the family income figures don't support the local housing cost. Before settling on a family-dense neighborhood, check family household income against local housing cost — the highest-child-share ZIPs aren't always the most affordable ones, and a slightly lower child-share ZIP with a stronger income-to-housing ratio can be the more financially sustainable choice for your household long-term.
Frequently asked
›What's the national average share of population under 18?
About 22%, based on the latest ACS5 estimates. Family-dense suburbs typically run well above that, often in the 32-38% range.
›Why do Utah ZIPs have such high child population shares?
Utah has the highest fertility rate in the country, supported by the state's religious demography, which produces larger-than-average household sizes and correspondingly higher child population shares.
›Is a high child population share always a positive signal for property value?
Generally, yes, since it correlates with stable school enrollment and sustained demand for family-oriented housing and services — though it should still be weighed alongside affordability and other local factors.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Data: census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.