U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Joseph R. Wright, Jr., Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs Social and Economic Statistics Administration BUREAU OF THE CENSUS Robert L. Hagan, Acting Director Daniel B. Levine, Associate Director for Demographic Operations HOUSING DIVISION Arthur F. Young, Chief ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was prepared by Paul P. Harple Jr under the supervision of Aneda SUGGESTED CITATION U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Housing Reports, Series H-111-72-5 "Vacancy Rates and Characteristics of Housing in the United States: Annual Statistics 1972" U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1973. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, $1.00. Annual Subscription (Series H-111 and H-121, combined), $3.50; foreign mailing, $1.00. A. Sampling Errors of Vacancy Rates (CPS Data): Annual Averages 1972. . B. Sampling Errors of Vacancy Rates for Units with Selected Characteristics: C. Sampling Errors of Estimated Percentages for Characteristics of Vacant Rental and D. Sampling Errors of Estimated Percentages of Occupied Housing Units (QHS Data): FIGURES Page 1. Vacancy Trends in Rental and Homeowner Housing: 1958 to 1972. 2. Rental Vacancy Rates, for Inside and Outside SMSA's and for Regions: 1958 to 1972 1 1 1122 2 2 6 11 CONTENTS--Continued DETAILED TABLES 1. Vacancy Rates for Total Units, by Area: 1960 to 1972... Page 15 2. Vacant Rental and Homeowner Units with All Plumbing Facilities as Percent of All Rental and Homeowner Units: 1972. ... . . 15 16 17 19 19 3. Vacancy Rates for Rental and Homeowner Units with Selected Characteristics: 1972, 1971. and 1970. . . . 4. Vacancy Rates by Type of Vacancy by Area: 1960 and 1965 to 1972 5. Occupancy and Vacancy Rates: 1960 and 1965 to 1972 .. 6. Owner-Occupancy Rates by Area: 1960 and 1965 to 1972 7. Vacant Rental Units by Selected Characteristics, Inside and Outside SMSA's: 1960 and 1965 to 1972.... 8. Vacant Homeowner Units by Selected Characteristics, Inside and Outside SMSA's: 1960 and 1965 to 1972.... 20 23 9. Vacant Rental Units-- Monthly Rent Asked by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971.... 26 10. Vacant Rental Units--Year Structure Built by Selected Characteristics, Inside and Outside SMSA's: 1972 and 1971..... 11. Vacant Rental Units--Duration of Vacancy at Time of Enumeration by Selected Characteristics, Inside and Outside SMSA's: 1972 and 1971.. 12. Vacant Rental Units--Number of Units in Structure by Selected Characteristics, Inside 13. Vacant Rental Units--Plumbing Facilities by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971. 16. Vacant Homeowner Units - - Duration of Vacancy at Time of Enumeration by Selected 17. Vacant Homeowner Units -- Plumbing Facilities by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971... 18. Vacant Homeowner Units--Number of Rooms by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971. 19. Occupied Units--Selected Characteristics of Owner-Occupied and Renter-Occupied Units: 1972, 1971, and 1970 ... 20. Occupied Units--Monthly Rent and Value: 1972, 1971, and 1970. 21. Renter-Occupied Units-- Monthly Rent by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971.. 24. Renter-Occupied Units--Plumbing Facilities by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971.. 26. Owner-Occupied Units--Year Structure Built by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971 . 27. Owner-Occupied Units--Plumbing Facilities by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971.. 28. Owner-Occupied Units--Number of Rooms by Selected Characteristics: 1972 and 1971 ... 27 32 34 35 36 38 41 42 43 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 VACANCY RATES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSING IN THE UNITED STATES: ANNUAL STATISTICS 1972 INTRODUCTION This is part II of a two-part report on housing units in the United States. Part I provided information on vacancy rates and characteristics of vacant rental and homeowner housing for the fourth quarter 1972. Part II provides annual statistics on occupied and vacant rental and homeowner housing for the year 1972 and for selected years covering the period 1960 to 1971. In this report, annual statistics are presented on vacancy rates in the total housing inventory, the total rental inventory, the total homeowner inventory, and for subclasses of rental and homeowner units that have common characteristics. Percent distributions on housing characteristics are shown separately for occupied and vacant rental and homeowner units. Cross-tabulations of data are shown for most of the characteristics. The statistics are based on data collected in two different sample surveys conducted by the Bureau of the Census, Social and Economic Statistics Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Estimates of vacant housing units are based on data obtained in the monthly population sample survey. Estimates of occupied housing units are based on data obtained in the quarterly household sample survey of consumer buying expectations. A more complete description of the surveys is found in the section "Source and Reliability of the Estimates." To conform to 1970 census concepts, data on condition of housing units were not collected in the Housing Vacancy Survey after December 1971. The question on condition (i.e., sound, deteriorating, or dilapidated) used in the 1960 census was eliminated from the 1970 census because of serious problems with response reliability. In the Housing Vacancy Survey reports for 1971 and earlier years the rental and homeowner vacancy rates expressed the percentage relationship between vacant units for rent or for sale that were rated as "sound or deteriorating" and the total rental and homeowner inventories. Beginning in 1972, the rental and homeowner vacancy rates express the relationship between all vacant units for rent or for sale and the respective total rental and homeowner units. Thus, the 1972 vacancy rates reflect the rated inclusion of units "dilapidated" which, in previous reports, were excluded. For purposes of comparison, the vacancy rates shown in this report have been revised to include vacant units that were classified as dilapidated in earlier reports. The definitions of standard metropolitan statistical areas (SMSA's) and the central cities of SMSA's used for the quarterly surveys are being updated to reflect the 243 SMSA's in the 1970 census, recognized by the Office of Management and Budget, as of February 1971. The statistics for the year 1972 for inside SMSA's, inside central cities, outside central cities, and outside SMSA's are based partially on the 1960 census definitions of SMSA's and partially on the 1970 census definitions. Thus, the 1972 statistics for these areas are not entirely comparable to similar data for 1971 and earlier years. Related Reports.--Statistics on vacant units and limited information on occupied housing are available for each year prior to 1972 in Series H-111 summary reports, Nos. 43, 51, 55, 59, 63, and 71-5. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Vacancy Rates in Rental and Homeowner Housing In 1972 national vacancy rates were 5.6 percent in rental housing and 1.0 percent in homeowner housing. There is some evidence of an upward trend in rental vacancy rates beginning 1970. The homeowner vacancy rate, however, has remained at the level reached in 1969. In 1972 the vacancy rate in rental housing inside standard metropolitan statistical areas (SMSA's) was 5.4 percent. Outside SMSA's, the rate was higher, 6.1 percent. The rental vacancy rate inside central cities of metropolitan areas was higher, 5.7 percent, than outside central cities, 4.8 percent. In homeowner housing, there is no evidence of a difference in the vacancy rates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Inside central cities of metropolitan areas, the vacancy rate in homeowner housing was 1.3 percent. Outside the central cities the rate was lower, 0.8 percent. |