https://www.census.gov/housing/vacanciesfactsheet.html 1/2

Vacancy Rate Fact Sheet

Differences between the Vacancy 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 estimates of vacant units by type of

vacancy and calculates estimates of rental and homeowner vacancy rates for most areas included in the decennial census. 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 rental and homeowner vacancy rates each quarter for the United States, four

census regions, states, and the 75 largest metropolitan areas (MAs).

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/.

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

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
https://www.census.gov/housing/vacanciesfactsheet.html 2/2

month, a 1-in-3 subsample of all

addresses for which responses

have not been obtained are visited

by field representatives.

The ACS is a mandatory survey.

y

survey.

Residency

Status

The ACS includes people at the

address where they are at the time

of the survey if they have been

there or will be there more than two

months.

A housing unit occupied at the time

of interview entirely by people who

will be there for 2 months or less is

classified as “Vacant - Current

Residence Elsewhere”. Such units

are included in the estimated

number of vacant units.

The CPS/HVS includes people if

they consider the unit to be their

place of usual residence (where

they spend most of the time

during the year). If they have

more than one home, the

interviewer has to determine if

the sample unit is their usual

residence, that is, where they

spend most of their calendar

year.

Same as CPS/HVS.

Population

Universe

The ACS includes both civilian and

military population living in the

United States and Puerto Rico

(resident population). It includes

both households (people living in

housing units) and the group

quarters population. The group

quarters population consists of the

institutionalized (such as people in

correctional institutions or nursing

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).

The CPS/HVS includes the

civilian noninstitutionalized

population. This universe

includes civilians in households,

people in noninstitutional group

quarters (other than military

barracks) and military in

households living off post or with

their families on post (as long as

at least one household member

is a civilian adult). The universe

excludes other military in

households and in group

quarters (barracks), and people

living in institutions. The

weighting is controlled to

independent counts of housing

units for the month of the

estimate.

The AHS includes occupied and

vacant housing units and all

people in housing units. The

universe excludes all people in

group quarters. The weighting is

controlled to independent counts

of housing units.

Time

Period

Covered

Monthly interviews are conducted

and units are classified as of the

day they are first contacted; nearly

all vacant units in the ACS are not

contacted until the third month of

data collection.

Monthly interviews are

conducted and information on

the vacancy status 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

Same as CPS/HVS. The question on vacancy status

includes the categories ‘rented,

not yet occupied’ and ‘sold, not

yet occupied’, which is used in

the computation of the rental and

homeowner vacancy rates.

Same as CPS/HVS.

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

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