https://web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/housing/homeownershipfactsheet.html 1/3

Homeownership Rate Fact Sheet

Differences between the Homeownership Rate Estimates from the American Community Survey, the Current Population

Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey, and the American Housing Survey

December 9, 2011

The American Community Survey (ACS) is the largest household survey in the United States and Puerto Rico. The ACS provides homeownership rate estimates for most geographic areas

included in the decennial census from the national down to the block group level. Estimates are not available at the individual block level from the ACS as they are from the decennial census.

At this level, confidentiality is a major cause for concern. In addition, since the ACS surveys only a sample of the population, the ACS cannot produce reliable results for individual blocks. The

2011 ACS (available in 2012) will provide estimates for zip code tabulation areas. Estimates are updated each year with annual estimates for smaller geographies being averaged over the

current and two or four previous years.

The Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey (CPS/HVS) produces estimates of homeownership rates each quarter for the United States, four census regions, states, and the 75

largest metropolitan areas (MAs). National data are tabulated and published by age, race and Hispanicity, and family status.

The American Housing Survey (AHS) is designed to provide current information on the size and composition of the housing inventory, the characteristics of its occupants, indicators of housing

and neighborhood quality, and the characteristics of recent movers. AHS is conducted every other year and produces estimates for the United States, four census regions, and selected metropolitan areas. In the past, the AHS was two surveys conducted independently of each other. The National survey was enumerated every other odd-numbered year and the Metropolitan

survey occurred in selected areas on a rotating basis. Starting in 2007, the National and Metropolitan surveys were conducted in the same time period (odd-numbered years) to reduce costs.

For a complete list of AHS metropolitan areas and the years in which they were surveyed see https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/

(https://web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs.html).

This chart summarizes the key differences between the ACS, the CPS/HVS, and the AHS:

American Community

Survey

Current Population

Survey/Housing Vacancy

Survey

American Housing

Survey

Principal

Purpose

Replace the decennial census long

form by providing annual (or multiyear average) estimates of selected

social, economic, and housing

characteristics of the population for many geographic areas and

subpopulations.

Provide specific

socioeconomic and

demographic estimates for

the United States and

estimates for regions of

selected characteristics

and subpopulations.

Provide timely estimates of

the homeownership rate

and rental and homeowner

vacancy rates each

quarter.

Provide a current and

ongoing series of data on

the size, composition, and

state of housing in the

United States and

changes in the housing

stock over time.

Collect housing statistics

that the U.S. Department

of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) uses

to evaluate and develop

its federal housing

programs.

Geography Most of the decennial census

geographies, including nation;

states, counties, and places in the

United States; municipios and

zonas urbanas in Puerto Rico;

census tracts and census block

groups. Beginning in 2012, zip

code tabulation areas.

Nation, regions, states, and

75 largest metropolitan

areas (which have a

population of 600,000 or

more).

Nation, regions, selected metropolitan areas, and either

(1) HUD-defined zones within metropolitan areas on the Public

Use File, or (2) subareas within metropolitan areas in the

publication tables.

Sample

Size

About 3 million addresses per year.

Data are collected from about onetwelfth of the sample each month.

About 72,000 addresses per month. A unit is in sample for 4

consecutive months, out for 8 months, back in sample for 4 months, and then retired from the

sample.

Sample size is dependent on

HUD budget and has varied over

the years. In 2009 about 62,000

addresses were selected for the

National survey. The AHS is

longitudinal--each sample unit

from the basic sample has been

visited every other year since

1985. New addresses are added

to the sample at each iteration to

ensure representativeness.

Data

Collection

Method

Mail and computer-assisted

telephone and personal-visit

interviews. All group quarters

responses are obtained by

personal visit interview. In the third month of data collection (the first

personal visit), a 1-in-3 subsample

Computer-assisted

telephone and personal

visit interviews. All units in

sample are visited if a

telephone interview is not

obtained.

Computer-assisted

telephone and personalvisit interviews.

The AHS is a voluntary

survey.
https://web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/housing/homeownershipfactsheet.html 2/3

homes) and the

noninstitutionalized (most of

whom are in college

dormitories). The weighting

is controlled to population

and housing unit estimates

as of July 1 (e.g., July 1,

2010 for the 2010

ACS).

Time

Period

Covered

Monthly interviews are conducted

and units are classified as of the

day they are first contacted.

Monthly interviews are conducted

and information on the tenure of

the unit are collected and

processed as of the interview

week, which is normally the week

containing the 19th of each month.

The interviewing period may vary

from year to year. In 2009,

interviews were conducted from

June to September and

classified by tenure status as of

the day they were first contacted.

Length

and Detail

of

Questions

The question on tenure has

separate categories for owners with

and without a mortgage (owned

free and clear), for renters, and for

those occupying units without

payment of rent.

The question on tenure combines

owners with and without a mortgage into one category. The

renter categories are the same as

on the ACS.

Same as CPS/HVS.

ABOUT US

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about.html)

Are You in a Survey?

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/are-you-in-asurvey.html)

FAQs

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://ask.census.gov/)

Director's Corner

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/leadership.html)

Regional Offices

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/regions.html)

History

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/history.html)

Research

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/ourresearch.html)

Scientific Integrity

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/policies/quality/scientific_integrity.html)

Census Careers

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/censuscareers.html)

Diversity @ Census

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/diversitynetworks.html)

Business Opportunities

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/businessopportunities.html)

Congressional and

Intergovernmental

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/conggov-affairs.html)

Contact Us

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/contactus.html)

FIND DATA

QuickFacts

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/data/datatools/quickfacts.html)

American FactFinder

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/data/datatools/americanfactfinder.html)

2010 Census

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/decennialcensus/2010-census.html)

Economic Census

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/economiccensus.html)

Interactive Maps

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/geography/interactivemaps.html)

Training & Workshops

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/data/trainingworkshops.html)

Data Tools

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/data/datatools.html)

Developers

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/developers/)

Catalogs

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/data/productcatalog.html)

Publications

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/library/publications.html)

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Help With Your Forms

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/business/businesshelp.html)

Economic Indicators

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/economy/economicindicators.html)

Economic Census

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/economiccensus.html)

E-Stats

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/e-stats.html)

International Trade

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/internationaltrade.html)

Export Codes

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/internationaltrade/schedule-b.html)

NAICS

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/economy/classificationcodes.html)

Governments

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/publicsector.html)

Longitudinal EmployerHousehold Dynamics (LEHD)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/led.html)

Survey of Business Owners

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/sbo.html)

PEOPLE & HOUSEHOLDS

2020 Census

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/2020census/)

2010 Census

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/decennialcensus/2010-census.html/)

American Community 

Survey

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/acs/)

Income

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/incomepoverty/income.html)

Poverty

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/incomepoverty/poverty.html)

Population Estimates

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/population/populationestimates.html)

Population Projections

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/population/populationprojections.html)

Health Insurance

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/health/healthinsurance.html)

Housing

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/housing.html)

International

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/population/international.html)

Genealogy

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy.html)

SPECIAL TOPICS

Advisors, Centers and

Research Programs

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/partners.html)

Statistics in Schools

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/schools/)

Tribal Resources (AIAN)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/conggovaffairs/intergovernmentalaffairs/tribal-affairs/tribalresources.html)

Emergency Preparedness

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/topics/preparedness.

Statistical Abstract

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/library/publications/tim

series/statistical_abstracts.html)

Special Census Program

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/specialcensus.html)

Data Linkage Infrastructure

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/datalinkage)

Fraudulent Activity & Scams

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/are-you-in-asurvey/fraudulent-activityand-scams.html)

USA.gov

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.usa.gov/)

NEWSROOM

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://

News Releases

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://ww

releases.html)

Release Schedule

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://ww

crd=cens1sample&cid[]=31793)

Facts for Features

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://ww

for-features.html)

Stats for Stories

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://ww

Blogs

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://ww

us/social_media.html)
2/16/22, 12:12 PM Housing - Homeownership Rate Fact Sheet - People and Households - U.S. Census Bureau

https://web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/housing/homeownershipfactsheet.html 3/3

CONNECT WITH US (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/contact-us/social_media.html)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.facebook.com/uscensusbureau) (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://twitter.com/uscensusbureau)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-census-bureau)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.youtube.com/user/uscensusbureau)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.instagram.com/uscensusbureau/)

(//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCENSUS/subscriber/new)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Housing | Last Revised: 2014-05-12T07:59:21.103-04:00

Accessibility (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/about/policies/privacy/privacy-policy.html#par_textimage_1) |

Information Quality (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/quality/) | FOIA (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/foia/) |

Data Protection and Privacy Policy (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.census.gov/privacy/) |

U.S. Department of Commerce (//web.archive.org/web/20201020060231/https://www.commerce.gov/)