POPULATION 

DIVISION 

Seasonality of Moves and The Duration and 

Tenure of Residence: 1996 

by 

Jason P. Schachter and Jeffrey J. Kuenzi

WORKING PAPER NO. 69

November 2002 

1
ABSTRACT 

The pattern of seasonality found in the 1996 SIPP is much the same as that described in the 

earlier Seasonality of Moves and Duration of Residence report based on 1993 data. 

Respondents continued to show a preference for moving during the summer months – 

particularly in June and August, and race and ethnicity and geographic region remained factors 

on when people move. Median duration of residence declined from 5.2 years in 1993 to 4.7 

years in 1996. At the time of the 1996 survey, 19 percent of residents had lived in their current 

home less than one year, while 30 percent had lived in their current home more than 10 years. 

The duration of residence is tied to age, but it is also associated with marital status, the 

presence of young children, race and ethnicity, citizenship, household income, and housing 

tenure. Many socioeconomic characteristics continued to affect housing tenure, as people 

tended to shift from living in renter-occupied housing units to living in owner-occupied housing 

units. 

This paper reports the results of research and analysis undertaken by Census Bureau staff. It has 

undergone a more limited review than official Census Bureau publications. This report is released to 

inform interested parties of research and to encourage discussion. 

2
Every year millions of people move to another residence. Three important aspects of residential mobility and 

migration are:

• the timing, or seasonality, of moves, 

• the length, or duration, of residence, and 

• the patterns of settlement 

This report continues analysis of seasonality and duration of moves first reported using 1993 SIPP panel data.1

The data continue to be of interest to policy-makers, businesses, community planners, educators, and service 

providers. In addition, whether residents rent or own their home can affect patterns of long-term settlement,

neighborhood stability, and the overall quality of life. 

The data in this report come from the 1996 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The 

Migration History Topical Module (collected during the second wave of each SIPP panel) asks respondents to

provide the month and year each individual 15 years and over moved to his or her current residence and previous 

residence. These responses enable us to determine the seasonality of the move and the length of time (duration) 

at current residence.2

The 1996 survey included a new question which asked the respondent to report the owner/renter status, or housing 

tenure, of their current and previous residences. These data allow us to look at the timing of settlement patterns, 

as well as transitions in tenure, particularly, the shift from living in renter-occupied units to owner-occupied units. 

The data contained in this report have been tabulated by the characteristics of movers at the time the survey was 

conducted. Some characteristics such as marital status, parenthood, citizenship, education, and income may have 

been different at the time of the most recent move (which may have occurred at any time prior to the survey). With 

1

 P70-66, Seasonality of Moves and Duration of Residence, October 1998. 

2 Duration of residence is measured by subtracting the date the respondent moved into his or her current residence from the date the survey 

was administered. These topics were also the subjects of the P70-66 report (footnote 1), although in that report moves into both the current 

and the previous residences were used to analyze seasonality of moves. The 1996 data are based solely on the date each person moved into 

their current home. 

3 
the exception of tenure of previous residence, the survey did not collect data on the characteristics of people at the 

time they moved. 

SEASONALITY OF MOVES 

One-third of all moves take place between June, July, and August. 

Information about the seasonality of moves, or the time of year that moves occur, is useful to schools, businesses, 

or service providers whose work is affected by cyclical behavior. In 1996, as in 1993, people were more likely to 

have moved during the summer months (defined here as June through August). June, when most school years 

end, and August, just before the new school year begins, had the largest percentages of people changing 

residence (11 percent), followed by July and September (10 percent each). As Figure 1 illustrates, the lowest 

percentage of movers changed residence from December through February, when winter weather conditions in 

many areas make moving more difficult. 

<Figure 1 about here> 

Moves are more likely during the summer, and less likely during the winter, even when the 

characteristics of movers are taken into account. 

The timing of when people move is clear, but for the most part, seasonality is not related to mover characteristics. 

All groups were most likely to move during the summer months, while almost all groups were least likely to move 

during the winter months. Factors such as marital status, household income, and metropolitan/non-metropolitan 

residence had little effect on seasonality of moving. Surprisingly, even the presence of children under the age of 18 

did not increase the likelihood of a summer move: 32 percent of both those with and without children under 18 

moved during the summer months (Table 1). However, people 15 to 24 years old were more likely to move during 

the summer compared with all other age groups (34 percent versus 32 percent). 

4
Within seasons, race/ethnicity,3

 education, and citizenship differ in the timing of moves. 

Differences in citizenship status, race/ethnicity, and education appear to be sensitive to seasonal effects on 

migration. Blacks, Hispanics, and non-citizens were less likely than non-Hispanic Whites and citizens to move 

during the summer months, while people with a Bachelor’s degree were more likely to move during the summer 

than those less educated. Table 1 shows detailed seasonality of moves into current residence by the characteristics 

of movers. 

<Table 1 about here> 

Type of move and region of destination are associated with the seasonality of moves. 

Intercounty moves (within the same state, different county or between different states) were more likely than 

intracounty moves (within the same state, same county) to occur during the summer months. Interestingly, moves 

from abroad were more likely during the winter months than domestic moves. 

Figure 2 shows that those moving within and to the West were less likely to move during the summer than those 

moving within and to other regions, perhaps because of climate differences. For people moving within and to the 

South, the fall months were a less popular time to move. As expected, the winter months had the lowest 

percentage for movers to and within the Northeast and Midwest. 

<Figure 2 about here> 

3 Data for the American Indian and Alaska Native population are not shown in this report because of small sample size in the 

SIPP. Based on Wave 2 of the 1996 SIPP, 5 percent of the Black population and 3 percent of the Asian and Pacific Islander 

Population are also of Hispanic origin. 

5 
DURATION OF RESIDENCE 

Duration of residence is the length of time each person 15 years old and over has lived in his or her current home, 

and is measured by calculating the number of months between the date moved into current residence and the date 

the survey was administered. In 1996, the median duration of residence for the U.S. population 15 and over was 

4.7 years, a decline from the 5.2 years found in 1993. Almost 19 percent of the population had lived in their current 

home less than one year, while 30 percent had lived in their current home longer than ten years. As Table 2 

illustrates, the duration of residence varies enormously across the population, depending on the characteristics of 

the resident. 

<Table 2 about here> 

Duration of residence is closely tied to age. 

Duration of residence increased with age, with the exception of a slight decline in the median duration of residence 

between people 15 to 24 years old and people 25 to 34 years old,. Those 65 years and older had lived in their 

current residence for a median of 18.7 years compared with 1.9 years for those ages of 25 to 34. Obviously, older 

people have had more potential years than younger people to stay in the same residence. As Figure 3 illustrates, 

the duration of residence for younger people is much shorter than that for older people: one-third of those 15 to 34 

years old had lived in their current residence less than one year compared with less than 10 percent of those 55 

years and older. At the opposite end of the spectrum, about 60 percent of those 55 years and older had lived in 

their current residence over 10 years, compared with just 10 percent of those 15 to 34 years old. 

<Figure 3 about here> 

6
Marital status, the presence of children, race/ethnicity, and citizenship are associated with the duration of 

residence. 

The median duration of residence for those who were married (spouse present or absent) was over two years 

longer than for those who were not married (never-married, divorced, separated, and widowed); for those with 

children under 18 in the household, the median was two years shorter than for those without children in the 

household. White non-Hispanics and citizens had lived in the same residence longer than other racial/ethnic 

groups and non-citizens. Almost 33 percent of White non-Hispanics had lived in their current home over 10 years, 

compared with 26 percent of Blacks, 18 percent of Hispanics, and 16 percent of Asian and Pacific Islanders. 

Similarly, citizens were almost four times as likely as non-citizens (32 percent versus 8 percent) to have lived in the 

same residence for over 10 years. 

Duration of residence increases with income. 

Those with higher incomes tended to stay in one location longer than those with lower incomes. In 1996, the 

median duration of residence for those living in households with income of $75,000 or more was 6.3 years, 

compared with 3.6 years for those living in households with income of less than $25,000. Over 20 percent of those 

living in households with income less than $25,000 lived in their current residence less than one year, compared 

with just 13 percent of those living in households with income of $75,000 or more. 

Home owners have lived in their homes longer than renters. 

Those who lived in owner-occupied housing units had longer durations of residence than those who lived in renteroccupied housing units. People living in renter-occupied housing are much more mobile than those living in owneroccupied housing units.4 Figure 4 shows that 37 percent of those living in renter-occupied housing units had lived 

in their current residence less than one year compared with just 11 percent of those living in owner-occupied 

housing units. 

<Figure 4 about here> 

4 For example, P20-538, Geographical Mobility: March 1999 to March 2000, shows that 33% of those living in renteroccupied units moved between March of 1999 and 2000 compared to just 9% of those living in owner-occupied units. 

7 
TENURE OF RESIDENCE 

The 1996 SIPP data in Table 3 show that of all respondents, 70 percent currently lived in owner-occupied housing, 

compared with 41 percent who did so in their previous home. This change from renter to homeowner reflects the 

fact that most people rent prior to buying a home, both in terms of the life course, as well as upon initial relocation 

to a new area. The percentage of those living in owner-occupied housing units increased steadily from 55 percent 

for those 25 to 34 years old to over 80 percent of those over age 55. 

<Table 3 about here> 

Married people are more likely to be home owners. 

Among those married, 79 percent lived in owner-occupied housing, compared with 59 percent of non-married 

people. The change from renting to owning was slightly greater for married than non-married people. The rate of 

home-ownership increased by 76 percent (45 percent to 79 percent) for married people, compared with 70 percent 

(35 percent to 59 percent) for non-married people. People living in households with children under 18 were not 

more likely to be living in owner-occupied housing units than people without children under 18. 

White non-Hispanics are more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to own their home. 

More than 70 percent of all 15 years and older White non-Hispanics lived in owner-occupied housing, compared 

with 53 percent of Blacks, 58 percent of Asian and Pacific Islanders, and 48 percent of Hispanics. However, when 

comparing tenure of current and previous residences, the likelihood of living in an owner-occupied housing unit 

increased at a lower relative rate for White non-Hispanics (68 percent) than for other racial and ethnic groups, such 

as Blacks, who had a relative increase of 123 percent. This difference is primarily due to the initial relatively low 

probability that minorities lived in an owner-occupied unit at their previous residence. In addition, citizens were 

much more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than non-citizens, 72 percent vs. 38 percent respectively. 

8 
The more educated and affluent are more likely to live in owner-occupied housing units. 

Among those with a Bachelor’s degree or more 77 percent lived in owner-occupied housing, compared with 63 

percent of those with less than a high school education. Those living in households with higher income were also 

more likely to live in owner-occupied housing units: 89 percent of those living in households with income of $75,000 

or more lived in owner-occupied housing, compared with 52 percent of those living in households with income less 

than $25,000. Nonmetropolitan residents were also more likely to live in owner-occupied housing units than 

metropolitan residents. 

SUMMARY 

The pattern of seasonality found in the 1996 SIPP is much the same as that described in the earlier 

Seasonality of Moves and Duration of Residence report based on 1993 data. Respondents continued to 

show a preference for moving during the summer months –particularly in June and August, and race and 

ethnicity and geographic region remained factors on when people move. 

Median duration of residence declined from 5.2 years in 1993 to 4.7 years in 1996. At the time of the 1996 survey, 

19 percent of residents had lived in their current home less than one year, while 30 percent had lived in their 

current home more than 10 years. The duration of residence is tied to age, but it is also associated with marital 

status, the presence of young children, race and ethnicity, citizenship, household income, and housing tenure. 

Many socioeconomic characteristics continued to affect housing tenure, as people tended to shift from living in 

renter-occupied housing units to living in owner-occupied housing units. 

SOURCE OF THE DATA 

The estimates in this report come from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The SIPP is a 

longitudinal survey of people who are at least 15 years old, conducted at 4-month intervals by the Census Bureau. 

Although the main focus of SIPP is information on labor force participation, jobs, income, and participation in 

federal assistance programs, information on other topics is also collected in topical modules on a rotating basis. 

Data shown in this report are from the Migration History topical module collected in the 4-month period from June 

9
1996 through September 1996 as part of the 1996 panel of the SIPP. The Migration History topical module 

included questions on location, duration, and tenure of previous residence; place of birth; citizenship; nativity; year 

of entry; and immigration status. 

ACCURACY OF THE ESTIMATES 

All survey statistics are subject to sampling error, as well as non-sampling error such as survey design flaws, 

respondent classification and reporting errors, data processing mistakes, and undercoverage. The Census Bureau 

attempts to reduce errors made by respondents, coders, and interviewers through the use of quality control and 

editing procedures. Ratio estimation to independent age-race-sex-Hispanic population controls partially corrects for 

bias due to survey undercoverage. However, biases exist in the estimates when missed people have 

characteristics different from those of interviewed people in the same age-race-sex-Hispanic origin group. 

Analytical statements in this report have been tested and meet statistical standards. However, because of 

methodological differences, use caution when comparing these data with data from other sources. 

Contact the Demographic Statistical Methods Division, at 301-763-4192 or on the internet at: 

dsmd_s&a@census.gov for survey design and estimation questions. For more information on the source of the 

data, the accuracy of the estimates, the use of standard errors, and the computation of standard errors, see the 

“Source and Accuracy Statement for the 1996 SIPP Public Use File.” See also the SIPP web site: 

http://www.sipp.census.gov/sipp. 

CONTACTS 

Statistical Information Office

pop@census.gov 

301-763-2422

Jason P. Schachter 

jason.p.schachter@census.gov 

Journey to Work and Migration Statistics Branch 

Population Division 

301-763-2454

10
USER COMMENTS 

The Census Bureau welcomes the comments and advice of users of our data products and reports. If you have any 

suggestions or comments, please write to: 

Chief, Population Division 

U.S. Census Bureau 

Washington DC 20233 

or send e-mail to: 

pop@census.gov 

11
POPULATION DIVISION WORKING PAPER SERIES 

For copies of these working papers, please contact the Statistical Information Staff, Population 

Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233-8800 (301)763-2422/pop@census.gov 

No. 1 - The Census Bureau Approach for Allocating International Migration to States, 

Counties, and Places: 1981-1991. David L. Word. October 1992. 

No. 2 - Geographic Coding of Administrative Records--Past Experience and Current 

Research. Douglas K.Sater. April 1993. 

No. 3 - Postcensal Population Estimates: States, Counties, and Places. John F. Long. 

August 1993. 

No. 4 - Evaluating the Passel-Word Spanish Surname List: 1990 Decennial Census Post 

Enumeration Survey Results. R. Colby Perkins. August 1993. 

No. 5 - Evaluation of Postcensal County Estimates for the 1980s. Sam T. Davis. 

March 1994. 

No. 6 - Metropolitan Growth and Expansion in the 1980s. Richard L. Forstall and James D. 

Fitzsimmons. April 1993. 

No. 7 - Geographic Coding of Administrative Records -- Current Research in ZIP/Sector-toCounty Coding Process. Douglas K. Sater. June 1994. 

No. 8 - Illustrative Ranges of the Distribution of Undocumented Immigrants by State. 

Edward W. Fernandez and J. Gregory Robinson. October 1994. 

No. 9 - Estimates of Emigration of the Foreign-Born Population: 1980-l990. Bashir Ahmed 

and J. Gregory Robinson. December 1994. 

No. 10 - Estimation of the Annual Emigration of U.S. Born Persons by Using Foreign 

Censuses and Selected Administrative Data: Circa 1980. Edward W. Fernandez. 

January 1995. 

No. ll - Using Analytic Techniques to Evaluate the 1990 Census Coverage of Young 

Hispanics. Edward Fernandez. May 1995. 

No. 12 - Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas: New Approaches to Geographical 

Definition. Donald C. Dahmann and James D. Fitzsimmons. October 1995. 

No. 13 - Building a Spanish Surname List for the 1990's--New Approach to An Old Problem. 

David L. Word and R. Colby Perkins, Jr. February 1996. 

12
No. 14 - Fertility of American Men. Amara Bachu. March 1996. 

No. 15 - Comparisons of Selected Social and Economic Characteristics Between Asians, 

Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians (Including Alaskan Natives). 

Edward W. Fernandez. June 1996. 

No. 16 - Findings on Questions on Race and Hispanic Origin Tested in the 1996 National 

Content Survey. Prepared in the Population Division by the Racial Statistics Branch 

and the Ethnic and Hispanic Statistics Branch. December 1996. 

No. 17 - Race and Ethnicity Classification Consistency Between the Census Bureau and the 

National Center for Health Statistics. Larry Sink. February 1997. 

No. 18 - Results of the 1996 Race and Ethnic Targeted Test. May 1997. 

No. 19 - Who Responds/Who Doesn’t? Analyzing Variation in Mail Response Rates During 

the 1990 Census. David L. Word. July 1997. 

No. 20 - Trends in Marital Status of U.S. Women at First Birth: 1930 to 1994. Amara Bachu. 

March 1998. 

No. 21 - State Estimates of Organized Child Care Facilities. Lynne Casper and Martin 

O’Connell. March 1998. 

No. 22 - How Well Does the Current Population Survey Measure the Foreign-Born Population 

in the United States Dianne Schmidley and J. Gregory Robinson. April 1998 

No. 23 - Poverty, Family Structure, and Child Well-Being: Indicators from the SIPP. 

Jason Fields and Kristin Smith. April 1998 

No. 24 - Child Well-Being Indicators from the SIPP. 

Kristin Smith, Loretta Bass, and Jason Fields. April 1998 

No. 25 - Timing of First Births: 1930-34, 1990-94. Amara Bachu. May 1998 

No. 26 - Co-Resident Grandparents and Grandchildren: Grandparent Maintained Families. 

Lynne Casper and Ken Bryson. March 1998. 

No. 27 - Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 

1790 to 1990. Campbell Gibson. June 1998 

No. 28 - Are There Differences in Voting Behavior Between Naturalized and Native-born 

Americans? Loretta E. Bass and Lynne M. Casper. March 1999. 

No. 29 - Historical Census Statistics on the Foreign-born Population of the United States: 

1850-1990. Campbell J. Gibson. February 1999 

13
No. 30 - Direct Measures of Poverty as Indicators of Economic Need: Evidence from the 

Survey of Income and Program Participation. Kurt J. Bauman. November 1998 

No. 31 - American Community Survey and Intercensal Population Estimates: Where Are the 

Cross-roads? Amy Symens. December 1998 

No. 32 - Women’s Labor Force Attachment Patterns and Maternity Leave: A Review of the 

Literature. Kristen Smith and Amara Bachu. January 1999 

No. 33 - Evaluation of Relationship, Marital Status, and Grandparents Items on the Census 

2000 Dress Rehearsal Charles Clark and Jason Fields. April 1999. 

No. 34 - Unbinding the Ties: Edit Effects of Marital Status on Same Gender Couples. 

Charles Clark and Jason Fields. April 1999. 

No. 35 - Racial-Ethnic and Gender Differences in Returns to Cohabitation and Marriage: 

Evidence from the Current Population Survey. Philip N. Cohen. May 1999. 

No. 36 - How Does POSSLQ Measure Up? Historical Estimates of Cohabitation. 

Lynne Casper, Philip N. Cohen, and Tavia Simmons. May 1999. 

No. 37 - Childlessness Among American Women On the Rise? Amara Bachu. May 1999. 

No. 38 - Methodology and Assumptions for the Population Projections of the United States: 

1999 to 2100. Frederick Hollman, Tammany Mulder, and Jeffrey Kallan. 

January 1999. 

No. 39 - What Do We Know About the Undercount of Children? Kirsten K. West and 

J. Gregory Robinson. August 1999. 

No. 40 - Canceled 

No. 41 - Canceled 

No. 42 - Measures of Help Available to Households in Need: Their Relationship to 

Well-Being, Welfare, and Work. Kurt Bauman and Barbara Downs. May 2000 

No. 43 - Have We Reached the Top? Educational Attainment Projections of the U.S. 

Population. Jennifer Cheeseman Day and Kurt Bauman. May 2000. 

No. 44 - The Emerging American Voter: An Examination of the Increase in the Black Vote in 

November 1998. Avalaura L. Gaither and Eric C. Newburger. June 2000. 

No. 45 - An Analysis of State and County Population Changes by Characteristics: 1990-1999. 

Amy Symens Smith, Bashir Ahmed, and Larry Sink. November 2000. 

14
No. 46 - The Effect of Work and Welfare on Living Conditions in Single Parent Households. 

Kurt Bauman. August 2000. 

No. 47 - Canceled 

No. 48 - Canceled 

No. 49 - Canceled 

No. 50 - Accuracy of the U.S. Census Bureau National Population Projections and Their 

Respective Components of Change. Tammany Mulder. Release Pending. 

No. 51 - U.S. Census Bureau Measurement of Net International Migration to the United States: 

1990 to 2000. Tammany Mulder, Frederick Hollmann, Lisa Lollock, Rachel Cassidy, 

Joseph Costanzo, and Josephine Baker. Release Pending. 

No. 52 - At-Risk Conditions of U.S. School-Age Children. Robert Kominski, Amie Jamieson, 

and Gladys Martinez. June 2001. 

No. 53 - Home Schooling in the United States: Trends and Characteristics. K. J. Bauman. 

August 2001. 

No. 54 - Evaluation of the 1990 School District Level Population Estimates Based on the 

Synthetic Ratio Approach. E. R. Miller. September 2001. 

No. 55 - State Estimates of Child Care Establishments 1977-1997. 

Grace O’Neil and Martin O’Connell. August 2001. 

No. 56 - Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals by Race, 1790 to 1990, and by 

Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, for the United States, Regions, Divisions, and States. 

Campbell Gibson and Kay Jung. September 2002. 

No. 57 - Evaluating Forecast Error in State Population Projections Using Census 2000 Counts. 

Paul Campbell. July 2002. 

No. 58 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Estimates of the Foreign-Born 

Population by Migrant Status: 2000. Kevin Deardorff and Lisa Blumerman. 

November 2002. 

No. 59 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Legal Migrants. Marc Perry, 

Barbara Van der Vate, Lea Auman, and Kathy Morris. November 2001. 

No. 60 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Temporary (Legal) Migrants. 

Rachel Cassidy and Lucinda Pearson. November 2001 

No. 61 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: The Residual Foreign Born. 

15
Joe Costanzo, Cynthia Davis, Caribert Irazi, Daniel Goodkind, Roberto Ramirez. 

January 2002. 

No. 62 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Foreign-Born Emigrants. 

Tammany Mulder, Betsy Guzmán, and Angela Brittingham. Release Pending. 

No. 63 - Paper Pending Review. 

No. 64 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Migration Between Puerto Rico 

and the United States. Matt Christenson. January 2002. 

No. 65 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Quality of Foreign-Born and 

Hispanic Population Data. Art Cresce, Roberto Ramirez, and Gregory Spencer. 

July 2002. 

No. 66 - Evaluating Components of International Migration: Consistency of 2000 Nativity Data. 

Nolan Malone. July 2002. 

No. 67 - Evaluation of Census Bureau’s1995-2025 State Population Projections. 

Ching Li Wang. October 2002. 

No. 68 - Guide To International Migration Statistics: The Sources, Collection, and Processing 

of Foreign-Born Population Data at the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Joseph M. Costanzo, Cynthia J. Davis, and Nolan Malone. August 2002. 

No. 69- Seasonality of Moves and Duration and Tenure of Residence: 1996. 

Jason Schachter and Jeffrey Kuenzi. November 2002. 

16
Table 1. Seasonality of Move by Selected Characteristics 

(For movers who reported a valid month of move into current residence. Numbers in thousands) 

December -

February March - May June - August September -November 

Total 172,496 18.8 22.6 32.0 26.6 

Age 

15 to 24 years 27,629 17.9 21.7 34.4 26.0 

25 to 34 years 35,476 19.6 23.7 30.7 26.0 

35 to 44 years 38,314 18.8 22.8 31.6 26.8 

45 to 54 years 28,249 19.1 22.4 31.8 26.8 

55 to 64 years 17,823 18.5 21.6 32.6 27.3 

65 years and older 25,005 18.8 22.7 31.5 27.1 

Marital status 

Not married 

separated, and widowed) 70,070 18.7 22.6 32.4 26.4 

Married (spouse present or absent) 102,426 18.9 22.6 31.7 26.8 

Presence of children under 18 

No children under 18 102,289 18.6 22.6 32.1 26.7 

Children under 18 70,207 19.1 22.6 31.8 26.5 

Race and Hispanic origin 

White 146,673 18.4 22.8 32.1 26.7 

Non-Hispanic 131,517 18.2 22.6 32.3 26.8 

Black 18,090 21.2 21.3 31.0 26.5 

Asian and Pacific Islander 6,019 21.9 22.4 30.8 24.9 

Hispanic (of any race) 15,839 21.0 23.4 30.1 25.6 

Citizenship 

Non-citizen 11,244 21.7 23.7 28.9 25.7 

Citizen 161,252 18.6 22.5 32.2 26.7 

Education 

Less than high school 35,209 20.2 22.1 31.4 26.3 

High school graduate 51,550 18.3 22.6 31.4 27.7 

Some college or Associate degree 48,879 18.8 23.1 31.6 26.4 

Bachelor's degree or more 36,858 18.3 22.3 33.8 25.7 

Household income 

Less than $25,000 50,060 19.1 22.1 32.9 25.9 

$25,000 to $49,999 57,266 19.5 22.3 31.5 26.7 

$50,000 to $74,999 34,664 18.3 23.7 31.1 27.0 

$75,000 or more 30,505 17.6 22.8 32.3 27.2 

Current residence 

Nonmetropolitan 34,430 18.2 22.8 31.5 27.5 

Metropolitan 138,066 19.0 22.5 32.1 26.4 

Region 

Northeast 33,350 18.2 21.4 33.1 27.3 

Midwest 41,906 17.4 22.7 32.0 27.9 

South 59,318 19.9 22.5 32.3 25.3 

West 37,922 19.3 23.7 30.4 26.6 

Type of move 

Same state, same county 118,647 18.8 23.3 31.3 26.6 

Same state, different county 26,826 18.2 22.1 33.4 26.3 

Different state 23,820 19.1 19.8 33.8 27.4 

From abroad 3,203 23.9 21.6 30.8 23.7 

Total movers, 15 Percent

years old and 

over 

Characteristic 

(never married, divorced, 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996. 

Internet Release date: December xx, 2002 
Table 2. Duration of Residence by Selected Characteristics: 1996

(For movers who reported a valid year of move into current residence. Numbers in thousands) 

Less than 

1 year 

1 to 3 

years 

4 to 10 

years Over 10 years 

Total 189,013 18.7 24.7 26.7 30.0 4.7 

Age 

15 to 24 years 29,483 32.6 26.8 25.9 14.7 2.3 

25 to 34 years 37,463 31.0 40.4 22.9 5.6 1.9 

35 to 44 years 41,225 17.1 28.6 36.4 17.9 4.3 

45 to 54 years 31,023 11.6 19.0 29.1 40.3 8.0 

55 to 64 years 20,092 8.2 14.4 22.6 54.8 12.2 

65 years and older 29,727 5.7 10.1 18.7 65.5 18.7 

Marital status 

Not married 

separated, and widowed) 78,960 24.1 25.3 24.8 25.8 3.4 

Married (spouse present or absent) 110,053 14.7 24.2 28.0 33.1 5.8 

Presence of children under 18 

No children under 18 114,261 18.1 21.1 21.6 39.2 6.0 

Children under 18 74,752 19.5 30.1 34.4 16.1 3.8 

Race and Hispanic origin 

White 159,478 18.0 24.0 26.7 31.3 4.9 

Non-Hispanic 142,322 17.1 23.3 26.8 32.9 5.5 

Black 20,998 21.2 27.7 25.1 26.1 3.9 

Asian and Pacific Islander 6,643 23.1 29.8 31.2 16.0 3.1 

Hispanic (of any race) 18,013 26.2 30.8 25.4 17.6 2.5 

Citizenship 

Non-citizen 12,502 31.8 35.3 24.6 8.4 1.8 

Citizen 176,511 17.7 23.9 26.8 31.6 5.1 

Education 

Less than high school 40,729 18.4 23.9 26.3 31.5 4.8 

High school graduate 56,953 18.0 22.8 25.4 33.8 5.3 

Some college or Associate degree 52,399 19.5 25.5 27.1 27.8 4.5 

Bachelor's degree or more 38,932 18.7 27.1 28.2 26.1 4.4 

Household income 

Less than $25,000 56,988 23.3 23.6 22.5 30.6 3.6 

$25,000 to $49,999 62,680 19.4 25.8 25.7 29.1 4.3 

$50,000 to $74,999 37,009 15.4 25.0 30.2 29.5 5.4 

$75,000 or more 32,336 12.7 23.8 31.9 31.5 6.3 

Current residence 

Nonmetropolitan 37,812 16.3 22.3 26.8 34.6 5.7 

Metropolitan 151,202 19.3 25.3 26.6 28.9 4.5 

Characteristic 

Total movers, 

15 years old 

and over 

Percent who have lived in their present home... Median 

years 

(never married, divorced, 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996. 

Internet Release date: December xx, 2002 
Table 3. Housing Tenure by Selected Characteristics: 1996 

(All people, 15 years and over. Numbers in thousands) 

Total, 15 

years old and 

over 

Percent 

owner 

Percent 

renter 

Total, 15 

years and 

older 

Percent 

owner 

Percent 

renter 

Total 205,150 70.1 29.9 196,048 40.6 59.4 

Age 

15 to 24 years 36,239 60.9 39.1 31,037 36.1 63.9 

25 to 34 years 40,376 55.1 44.9 39,060 26.7 73.3 

35 to 44 years 43,332 70.5 29.5 42,509 38.0 62.0 

45 to 54 years 32,392 78.5 21.5 31,834 44.8 55.2 

55 to 64 years 21,027 82.7 17.3 20,668 50.6 49.4 

65 years and older 31,784 82.4 17.6 30,940 54.8 45.2 

Marital status 

Not married 

separated, and widowed) 92,676 59.2 40.8 84,936 34.9 65.1 

Married (spouse present or absent) 112,474 79.1 20.9 111,112 44.9 55.1 

Presence of children under 18 

No children under 18 124,862 70.5 29.5 119,615 42.7 57.3 

Children under 18 80,288 69.5 30.5 76,433 37.2 62.8 

Race and Hispanic origin 

White 171,575 73.3 26.7 164,546 43.6 56.4 

Non-Hispanic 152,751 76.2 23.8 146,623 46.3 53.7 

Black 24,359 52.5 47.5 22,573 23.5 76.5 

Asian and Pacific Islander 7,129 57.7 42.3 6,959 26.7 73.3 

Hispanic (of any race) 19,799 47.9 52.1 18,856 20.5 79.5 

Citizenship 

Non-citizen 13,337 37.8 62.2 13,352 16.9 83.1 

Citizen 191,813 72.4 27.6 182,696 42.3 57.7 

Education 

Less than high school 46,385 62.5 37.5 42,604 34.2 65.8 

High school graduate 62,252 71.0 29.0 59,670 40.9 59.1 

Some college or Associate degree 56,068 70.8 29.2 53,982 41.9 58.1 

Bachelor's degree or more 40,446 76.5 23.5 39,793 45.1 54.9 

Household income 

Less than $25,000 62,563 52.3 47.7 60,125 33.6 66.5 

$25,000 to $49,999 67,248 69.3 30.7 64,531 37.6 62.4 

$50,000 to $74,999 40,115 82.6 17.5 38,107 44.0 56.0 

$75,000 or more 35,225 89.2 10.8 33,285 55.0 45.0 

Current residence 

Nonmetropolitan 40,816 76.4 23.6 38,808 46.1 53.9 

Metropolitan 164,334 68.6 31.4 157,240 39.2 60.8 

Current Characteristic 

Current Tenure Previous Tenure 

(never married, divorced, 

Note: The total number of people with previous tenure differs from those with current tenure because some people have never moved from their home of 

birth, thus never having a previous tenure. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996. 

Internet Release date: December xx, 2002 
Figure 1. 

Distribution of Moves by Month: 1996 (Percent of most recent move) 

6.9 

5.8 

6.5 

7.8 

8.3 

10.7 

10.0 9.6 9.2 

11.3 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 

Month of Move 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996. 
Figure 2. 

Season of Move by Region: 1996 (Percent of all moves within and to each region)

18.2 

21.4 

33.1 

27.3 

17.4 

22.7 

32.0 

19.9 

22.5 

32.3 

19.3 

23.7 

30.4 

0 5 

10 15 20 25 30 35 

December - February March - May June - August Septem

Source: 

Northeast Midwest South West 

U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996. 
Figure 3. 

Duration of Current Residence by Age: 1996 (Percent of people 15 years and older, who reported a valid year of move into current residence) 

0 5 

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 

< 1 1 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 21 to 25 26 a

Number of years in current residence 

15-34 35-54 55 + 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996. 
Figure 4. 

Duration of Current Residence by Current Tenure: 1996 (Percent of people 15 years and older, who reported a valid year of move into current residence) 

0 5 

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 

< 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11-15 16-2

Source: 

Owner Renter All 

Number of years in current residence 

U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996.