U.S. Department of Commerce

Housing

Skip top of page navigation
You are here: Census.gov › People and Households › Housing

Housing Topics

Comparability of Housing Data from the Census, ACS, AHS, and the CPS/HVS

Vacancy Rates Homeownership Rates Housing and Financial Characteristics Housing Cost and Housing Quality

Financial Characteristics

Financial characteristics (value, utilities, selected monthly owner costs, real estate taxes, rent, and mortgage) from the American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Income and mortgage characteristics, selected housing costs, value, purchase price, and source of down payment by tenure are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey (CPS/HVS) produces quarterly and annual figures for monthly asking rent and asking sales price for vacant units, by region and units in structure.

The New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS) is conducted every 3 years. Household income, rent, and selected monthly owner/renter costs by tenure and vacancy status are available for New York City, the five boroughs, and sub-borough areas.

Homeownership

Homeownership data from the Decennial Census and American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder. Housing inventory estimates, occupancy status, tenure, and characteristics of occupied housing units are available for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Housing inventory estimates, homeownership rates, and characteristics of occupied housing units are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey (CPS/HVS) produces quarterly and annual homeownership rates for the U.S., regions, states, and for the 75 largest MSAs. In addition, estimates of the total housing inventory, by tenure and vacancy status, are available historically for the U.S. and regions.

Housing Vacancies

Housing vacancy data from the Decennial Census and American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder. Housing inventory estimates, rental and homeowner vacancy rates, and characteristics of vacant housing units are available for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Housing inventory estimates, rental and homeowner vacancy rates, and characteristics of vacant housing units are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey (CPS/HVS) produces quarterly and annual rental and homeowner vacancy rates for the U.S., regions, states, and for the 75 largest MSAs. The rental vacancy rate is one of thirteen Economic Indicators produced by the Census Bureau. In addition, estimates of the total housing inventory (by tenure and vacancy status), characteristics of vacant housing units, and percent distributions of vacant for-rent and vacant for-sale units are available for the U.S. and regions.

The New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS) is conducted every 3 years. Rental vacancy rates, vacant housing inventory estimates, and characteristics of vacant housing units are available for New York City, the five boroughs, and sub-borough areas.

Multifamily Housing

Multifamily housing data from the American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder. Selected characteristics by the number of units in the structure are available for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Selected characteristics by the number of units in the structure are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Property Owners and Managers Survey (POMS), last conducted in 1995, collected information from the owners and managers of privately held rental properties on their rental and maintenance policies, and the reasons for these policies. This was the first known national survey of property owners and managers and in U.S.

The Rental Housing Finance Survey (RHFS) started collecting data in 2012 on the financial, mortgage, and property characteristics of multifamily rental housing properties in the U.S. The RHFS will be conducted biannually and will produce data at the national level.

The Residential Finance Survey (RFS) was designed to collect data on the financial, mortgage, and property characteristics of multifamily rental housing properties in the United States. The Census Bureau took the RFS as part of the decennial census from 1950 to 2000.

The Survey of Market Absorption (SOMA), sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is conducted in 3-month intervals (up to 12 months) after a structure with 5 or more units is completed. The initial 3-month interview collects information on amenities, rent or sales price levels, number of units, type of building, and the number of units taken off the market (absorbed). Field representatives conduct subsequent interviews, if necessary, at 6, 9, and 12 months after completion. Data for the U.S. are tabulated quarterly and annually with selected metro area quarterly absorption rates.

Physical Characteristics

Physical characteristics (year built, units in structure, rooms, bedrooms, kitchen facilities, plumbing facilities, telephone service availability, house heating fuel, and year householder moved into unit) by tenure from the American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Height and condition of building, size of unit and lot, selected equipment and plumbing, fuels, and failures in equipment by tenure are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey (CPS/HVS) produces quarterly and annual data on rooms, bedrooms, duration of vacancy, year structure built, and previous occupancy for vacant units, by region and units in structure.

The New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS) is conducted every 3 years. Year built, units in structure, rooms, bedrooms, kitchen facilities, plumbing facilities, telephone service availability, house heating fuel, year householder moved into unit, condition of building and building accessibility by tenure and vacancy status are available for New York City, the five boroughs, and sub-borough areas.

Rental Housing

Rental housing data from the Decennial Census and American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder. Housing inventory estimates and characteristics of renter occupied housing units are available for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Housing inventory estimates and characteristics of renter occupied housing units are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey (CPS/HVS) produces quarterly and annual estimates of the total housing inventory and percent distributions of vacant for-rent units for the U.S. and regions.

The New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS) is conducted every 3 years. Characteristics of renter and owner occupied units are available for New York City, the five boroughs, and sub-borough areas.

The Rental Housing Finance Survey (RHFS) started collecting data in 2012 on the financial, mortgage, and property characteristics of multifamily rental housing properties in the U.S. The RHFS will be conducted biannually and will produce data at the national level.

Residential Financing

Mortgage data (financial characteristics of housing units with and without a mortgage, mortgage status by age of householder, etc.) from the American Community Survey (ACS) are available on American FactFinder for all levels all geography down to the Census tract level.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted biennially in odd-numbered years. Mortgage data (type, origination, payment plan, interest rate, etc.) are available for the U.S. Data for select Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available.

The Property Owners and Managers Survey (POMS), last conducted in 1995, collected information from the owners and managers of privately held rental properties on their rental and maintenance policies, and the reasons for these policies. This was the first known national survey of property owners and managers and in U.S.

The Residential Finance Survey (RFS) was designed to collect data on the financial, mortgage, and property characteristics of multifamily rental housing properties in the United States. The Census Bureau took the RFS as part of the decennial census from 1950 to 2000.

The Census Bureau took the Residential Finance Survey (RFS) as part of the decennial census from 1950-2000. The Rental Housing Finance Survey is designed to collect data on the financial, mortgage, and property characteristics of multifamily rental housing properties in the United States.

Historical Housing Data


[PDF] or PDF denotes a file in Adobe’s Portable Document Format. To view the file, you will need the Adobe® Reader® Off Site available free from Adobe. [MSWord] or the letters [doc] indicate a document is in the Microsoft® Word Format (DOC). To view the file, you will need the Microsoft® Word Viewer Off Site available for free from Microsoft®.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Housing |  Last Revised: 2013-02-04T10:13:25.379-05:00