U.S. Census Bureau
 American Housing Survey (AHS)




American Housing Survey for the United States: 2001


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Table 2-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Occupied Units
[Numbers in thousands.  Consistent with the 1990 Census.  ... means not applicable or sample too small.  - means zero or rounds to zero.]
Housing unit characteristics
Tenure
Physical problems
Household characteristics
In MSAs
Urban
Rural
Regions
Total
occupied
units		 Owner Renter New con-
struction
4 years		 Manu-
factured/
mobile
homes		 Severe Moderate Black Hispanic Elderly
(65 years
and over)		 Moved in
past year		 Below
poverty
level		 Total
occupied
units		 Central
cities		 Suburbs Outside
MSAs		 Total Outside
MSAs		 Total Suburbs Outside
MSAs		 Northeast Midwest South West

RESPONDENT MOVED DURING PAST YEAR

Total		 17644 6002 11641 2254 1227 344 973 2630 2371 1004 17065 3107 17644 6334 8318 2992 14494 1551 3150 1650 1442 2421 3739 6990 4494

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 510 106 404 34 33 0 36 93 84 30 499 100 510 179 237 94 430 56 80 42 38 96 70 162 183
Owner to move into unit 174 24 150 14 18 0 11 23 31 5 170 25 174 68 65 41 142 21 32 12 19 37 28 43 65
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 15 3 12 0 0 0 3 5 0 2 15 3 15 5 7 2 15 2 0 0 0 2 5 5 3
Closed for repairs 23 5 18 2 3 0 0 3 8 3 23 3 23 2 21 0 23 0 0 0 0 5 0 6 12
Other 297 74 222 17 12 0 22 62 45 20 289 70 297 104 144 49 248 30 48 30 19 51 35 108 103
Not reported 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Government displacement 171 54 117 12 8 4 14 52 28 13 166 49 171 67 80 24 140 15 31 21 9 23 34 54 60
Government wanted building or land 35 16 18 3 0 0 3 15 2 3 35 16 35 13 16 6 27 3 7 5 3 3 10 5 16
Unit unfit for occupancy 11 0 11 0 3 0 5 3 3 3 11 8 11 5 6 0 11 0 0 0 0 5 3 3 0
Other 121 33 88 8 5 4 6 34 21 7 117 25 121 47 58 16 100 12 21 16 4 15 21 41 44
Not reported 4 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 4 2 0 3 2 0 3 0 3 0 0 4 0
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 87 22 65 17 13 0 3 21 9 3 85 21 87 26 41 20 69 12 18 9 9 7 11 59 9
New job or job transfer 2251 587 1665 297 75 45 97 240 265 20 2200 219 2251 785 1187 280 1883 142 369 217 138 263 410 950 628
To be closer to work/school/other 2356 498 1857 265 87 59 116 314 320 53 2286 448 2356 961 1053 342 2071 221 284 158 121 254 491 979 631
Other, financial/employment related 1101 241 860 68 75 23 57 154 154 40 1052 199 1101 448 505 148 925 84 176 106 64 196 156 427 322
To establish own household 2982 1261 1721 384 239 68 157 549 369 37 2918 592 2982 1010 1458 515 2461 315 522 308 199 358 745 1133 746
Needed larger house or apartment 2799 1269 1529 428 130 42 117 470 460 60 2765 396 2799 973 1429 397 2304 228 495 321 168 453 595 1096 655
Married 402 216 187 51 19 11 18 31 45 5 322 38 402 103 230 69 310 36 92 56 33 60 126 112 104
Widowed, divorced or separated 529 188 341 80 70 8 35 31 44 72 505 71 529 120 269 140 392 70 137 67 70 80 120 247 81
Other, family/person related 1868 580 1288 193 215 27 132 269 238 241 1745 410 1868 607 811 451 1466 228 402 173 223 261 387 734 486
Wanted better home 2588 1182 1406 460 155 45 117 400 385 132 2548 374 2588 866 1289 433 2058 216 530 295 217 421 547 919 701
Change from owner to renter 175 0 175 24 5 4 6 8 31 37 174 44 175 65 91 20 160 14 15 9 6 43 32 49 52
Change from renter to owner 1170 1170 0 222 117 10 25 142 177 19 1163 52 1170 325 681 164 897 60 273 163 104 162 263 408 338
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 1243 224 1019 100 93 26 86 181 206 88 1223 246 1243 549 494 199 1086 126 157 78 73 192 285 451 315
Other housing related reasons 1224 405 818 149 89 23 100 198 152 106 1179 256 1224 444 586 194 983 94 241 139 100 218 277 424 305
Other 2651 946 1704 350 212 60 146 396 344 303 2590 530 2651 982 1186 483 2101 209 549 267 274 393 509 973 776
Not reported 514 199 315 95 43 3 49 85 38 75 504 125 514 160 250 104 393 25 121 42 79 92 99 212 111

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 312 146 166 48 17 10 15 37 27 22 299 43 312 93 176 43 239 22 73 49 21 69 61 111 72
Private displacement 192 23 169 12 11 0 13 32 28 13 192 42 192 69 83 40 160 23 32 15 17 33 38 52 69
Government displacement 56 17 39 5 5 0 9 14 8 5 56 27 56 18 27 12 39 7 17 13 4 5 12 18 22
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 82 16 65 17 10 0 3 21 9 3 79 18 82 26 38 18 66 12 15 9 6 7 11 54 9
New job or job transfer 1913 503 1410 255 60 38 86 209 217 17 1874 186 1913 660 1027 226 1616 118 297 175 108 214 347 845 507
To be closer to work/school/other 1652 294 1359 159 63 44 83 230 197 31 1594 343 1652 693 717 242 1479 165 174 94 77 157 339 698 458
Other, financial/employment related 555 109 446 29 56 12 22 74 73 19 515 97 555 229 253 73 458 31 97 55 42 103 76 210 167
To establish own household 2044 763 1281 249 173 51 117 422 247 11 2002 469 2044 723 960 362 1702 221 342 194 141 216 527 816 485
Needed larger house or apartment 1868 783 1086 263 67 30 76 317 339 35 1844 268 1868 687 913 268 1576 154 292 178 114 300 402 774 392
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 962 300 662 99 80 21 77 79 107 56 855 123 962 263 490 210 765 118 197 104 91 133 241 405 182
Other, family/personal related 1351 395 956 147 172 17 90 188 183 189 1252 299 1351 446 564 341 1054 160 297 109 181 171 298 521 362
Wanted better home 1396 562 833 272 123 26 77 204 210 95 1370 225 1396 492 634 270 1091 125 305 153 144 198 305 555 337
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 876 790 86 149 73 6 24 108 144 29 871 62 876 264 491 120 693 49 183 105 72 135 213 281 247
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 754 103 651 59 41 14 46 112 143 60 734 137 754 351 311 92 686 68 68 44 25 119 159 281 196
Other housing related reasons 762 240 522 101 49 15 54 113 84 80 733 146 762 291 340 131 602 57 160 84 74 112 197 274 179
Other 2084 705 1379 274 171 53 111 309 270 250 2031 440 2084 758 927 399 1644 171 441 204 228 308 381 794 601
Not reported 785 253 532 115 55 7 70 160 87 89 764 183 785 271 367 146 626 50 159 63 96 141 131 303 210

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 5453 1482 3971 670 250 119 271 701 732 65 5330 574 5453 2019 2741 693 4713 411 740 435 282 778 1053 2277 1345
Convenient to friends or relatives 4257 1436 2821 506 353 97 252 611 607 360 4039 751 4257 1475 2065 717 3460 352 797 428 364 635 958 1642 1023
Convenient to leisure activities 1827 743 1084 300 95 48 86 204 160 95 1793 163 1827 688 915 225 1486 105 341 216 120 323 375 637 492
Convenient to public transportation 999 240 759 80 11 35 88 185 165 42 981 214 999 534 416 49 968 39 30 17 10 223 190 245 341
Good schools 2516 1083 1432 390 105 58 122 356 369 23 2473 451 2516 801 1427 287 2115 190 401 299 97 344 543 965 664
Other public services 941 296 645 109 34 26 67 172 141 87 931 211 941 384 436 121 840 91 101 64 30 127 223 324 266
Looks/design of neighborhood 4605 2213 2392 879 232 71 193 636 507 262 4533 519 4605 1549 2413 644 3680 306 925 564 337 649 964 1868 1126
House was most important consideration 3936 2129 1807 600 196 70 189 506 504 193 3883 545 3936 1261 1909 766 3179 439 758 418 327 578 934 1405 1019
Other 3511 1050 2461 374 363 70 210 589 436 246 3324 780 3511 1311 1509 691 2815 355 696 343 336 499 733 1260 1019
Not reported 518 193 325 93 43 3 47 86 41 72 513 130 518 162 251 105 402 30 116 42 75 87 98 222 112

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 596 277 319 93 30 10 26 75 62 34 576 71 596 224 301 71 512 38 84 48 33 124 122 181 169
Convenient to job 3754 744 3010 407 179 86 211 503 526 45 3660 443 3754 1388 1864 502 3283 304 472 263 198 499 689 1641 925
Convenient to friends or relatives 2511 734 1777 264 249 43 169 382 387 279 2346 550 2511 895 1189 427 2036 179 475 222 248 375 609 980 547
Convenient to leisure activities 411 173 238 90 42 11 5 47 34 31 402 24 411 166 171 74 309 22 103 49 51 53 67 172 119
Convenient to public transportation 214 29 185 8 0 5 21 60 41 14 214 70 214 147 61 6 209 6 5 2 0 49 39 65 61
Good schools 1171 421 751 136 43 26 42 141 163 11 1143 271 1171 400 609 162 993 107 178 120 56 120 263 485 304
Other public services 216 41 175 22 24 6 14 43 45 42 213 83 216 100 69 46 196 37 20 8 9 36 39 73 68
Looks/design of neighborhood 2464 1102 1362 448 142 34 117 397 282 134 2422 335 2464 819 1259 386 1928 168 536 309 218 308 494 1063 599
House was most important consideration 2615 1377 1238 365 138 52 126 349 376 117 2587 394 2615 844 1196 575 2096 335 519 274 240 323 676 948 668
Other 3161 907 2254 328 337 68 194 547 412 225 2977 732 3161 1177 1347 637 2519 323 642 314 314 447 638 1158 918
Not reported 529 197 332 93 43 3 47 86 43 72 524 133 529 174 251 105 413 30 116 42 75 88 103 224 114

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 7647 2215 5432 731 749 180 428 1083 1170 545 7177 1549 7647 2803 3435 1408 6119 609 1528 715 799 1068 1697 3057 1824
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 9309 3523 5787 1412 397 158 493 1437 1158 375 9208 1411 9309 3305 4568 1437 7827 878 1482 885 559 1234 1914 3667 2494
Not reported 687 264 423 111 82 5 52 110 43 85 680 147 687 225 315 147 548 64 140 49 84 119 128 265 175

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 6512 2076 4436 612 519 155 404 880 942 296 6326 1150 6512 2479 2940 1093 5470 618 1042 545 475 799 1467 2484 1762
Room layout/design 5292 2563 2729 1132 287 64 174 731 601 323 5238 673 5292 1826 2722 744 4284 380 1008 612 363 735 1080 2168 1308
Kitchen 1330 733 598 269 93 22 53 170 156 100 1319 149 1330 453 658 220 1058 108 273 155 111 217 239 498 376
Size 4774 1898 2877 727 290 69 232 734 678 253 4726 712 4774 1858 2239 678 3987 355 788 436 323 741 966 1909 1158
Exterior appearance 2497 1340 1157 461 108 26 79 335 272 152 2475 273 2497 826 1285 386 2016 196 481 276 190 377 437 1024 658
Yard/trees/view 2559 1380 1179 333 156 34 99 243 288 150 2525 260 2559 745 1333 481 1952 217 607 338 264 415 506 995 643
Quality of construction 1990 1237 753 489 128 18 72 204 226 138 1967 226 1990 599 1027 365 1496 170 494 287 195 307 396 800 487
Only one available 1560 224 1336 91 106 49 170 253 282 86 1526 398 1560 603 679 278 1307 139 253 108 139 246 310 532 471
Other 3040 871 2169 312 191 64 177 447 305 236 2762 560 3040 1050 1422 568 2446 282 594 299 286 421 735 1068 815
Not reported 524 196 328 92 45 3 47 90 39 72 518 130 524 168 251 105 407 32 116 44 72 87 98 231 108

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 671 354 318 132 36 5 27 81 81 57 668 100 671 200 376 95 519 39 153 94 56 154 117 210 190
Financial reasons 5247 1455 3792 401 455 137 351 753 790 210 5068 1017 5247 2049 2301 897 4462 501 785 379 397 603 1179 2048 1417
Room layout/design 2910 1391 1520 739 139 41 82 422 310 194 2877 354 2910 976 1517 418 2359 215 552 331 203 356 622 1251 682
Kitchen 123 42 81 17 5 0 8 17 17 7 123 19 123 43 61 19 110 17 12 7 2 29 29 47 18
Size 2402 716 1687 257 155 42 115 432 415 87 2377 445 2402 988 1073 341 2070 198 332 181 143 371 458 1020 553
Exterior appearance 602 273 329 73 8 5 20 131 67 20 594 78 602 219 300 83 499 51 104 72 32 86 110 271 135
Yard/trees/view 743 367 376 80 70 14 29 58 77 36 733 83 743 175 398 170 532 77 211 118 93 113 148 277 205
Quality of construction 565 342 224 141 49 3 13 61 79 42 554 55 565 145 314 107 423 48 143 80 59 79 107 252 127
Only one available 1186 137 1048 63 83 39 133 199 223 72 1157 323 1186 460 490 235 983 120 203 82 115 179 240 425 341
Other 2658 724 1935 258 179 53 148 386 273 207 2386 503 2658 908 1228 522 2123 253 536 258 270 363 627 953 715
Not reported 535 202 333 92 49 3 47 90 39 72 529 130 535 171 259 105 414 32 120 48 72 88 101 235 110

Home Search

Now in house		 8639 4924 3715 1423 0 125 353 1059 1051 494 8269 1112 8639 2603 4390 1646 6753 776 1886 994 870 1017 1881 3580 2161
Did not look at apartments 6772 4307 2465 1189 0 79 241 753 761 385 6447 756 6772 1972 3489 1311 5199 587 1573 828 724 792 1551 2752 1677
Looked at apartments too 1494 403 1091 152 0 39 87 261 250 55 1460 271 1494 520 701 273 1260 170 234 129 103 165 284 641 403
Search not reported 373 214 159 82 0 7 26 46 41 54 362 85 373 111 200 62 294 19 79 36 43 60 45 187 81
Now in manufactured/mobile home 1227 732 495 282 1227 15 35 95 103 72 1179 262 1227 100 643 485 453 93 774 370 391 70 230 682 244
Did not look at apartments 892 569 323 179 892 15 25 75 75 46 844 178 892 65 456 372 307 72 585 279 300 36 156 516 184
Looked at apartments too 281 123 158 74 281 0 11 20 25 14 281 67 281 28 179 74 144 19 137 83 54 29 66 143 43
Search not reported 54 40 14 29 54 0 0 0 3 13 54 16 54 7 9 39 2 2 52 9 37 5 8 23 17
Now in apartment 7777 346 7431 549 0 203 585 1475 1216 438 7617 1733 7777 3631 3285 862 7288 681 489 286 180 1334 1628 2728 2088
Did not look at houses 5269 197 5072 359 0 111 362 1007 864 367 5131 1169 5269 2446 2284 538 4981 438 287 170 100 947 1130 1860 1332
Looked at houses too 2109 116 1992 160 0 57 172 386 331 36 2095 463 2109 1006 805 298 1928 231 181 107 67 305 406 755 643
Search not reported 400 32 368 31 0 35 51 82 22 35 391 102 400 178 196 26 378 13 22 9 13 82 92 113 113

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 9328 4046 5282 1514 645 140 350 1374 1410 445 9074 1448 9328 3188 4617 1523 7477 724 1851 1018 799 1327 1919 3745 2337
Worse home 2960 514 2447 192 233 115 281 413 323 139 2852 638 2960 1134 1258 569 2518 335 442 201 233 377 641 1098 844
About the same 4663 1203 3460 444 289 83 281 717 586 328 4454 857 4663 1772 2115 776 3955 456 708 378 319 583 1057 1866 1157
Not reported 692 240 453 104 60 5 61 126 51 93 684 163 692 239 328 125 544 35 149 52 90 134 122 282 155

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 7500 3074 4426 1096 552 126 332 1089 1121 366 7253 1187 7500 2464 3877 1159 5905 564 1595 967 595 1054 1512 3037 1897
Worse neighborhood 2205 442 1763 168 116 55 204 372 218 70 2141 478 2205 981 891 332 1998 235 207 105 97 274 446 781 704
About the same 6611 2011 4600 791 447 138 344 952 890 419 6375 1162 6611 2400 2950 1261 5547 661 1064 453 600 840 1487 2660 1625
Same neighborhood 595 213 381 88 56 17 35 94 91 43 575 114 595 230 253 111 460 47 134 68 64 107 166 212 109
Not reported 733 261 472 111 57 7 59 123 51 107 723 166 733 258 346 130 583 43 151 57 87 147 127 300 159
@1Figures may not add to total because more than one category may apply to a unit.
@1Figures may not add to total because more than one category may apply to a unit.
@1Figures may not add to total because more than one category may apply to a unit.

Go to American Housing Survey for the United States: 2001
Contact the American Housing Survey Branch by email or by phone at 301-763-3235 or 1-888-518-7365, or visit ask.census.gov for further information on American Housing Survey Data.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Last Revised: February 18, 2005