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




American Housing Survey for the United States: 2001


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American Housing Survey 2001 Using 2000 Controls
Table 3-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Owner Occupied Units
(Numbers in thousands)
Housing unit characteristics
Physical problems
Household characteristics
In MSAs
Urban
Rural
Regions
Total
occupied
units		 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		 5962 1517 729 53 162 491 564 466 5659 465 5962 1391 3404 1166 4234 430 1728 954 737 804 1349 2394 1414

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 105 8 16 0 7 5 17 3 98 8 105 29 52 24 84 17 22 14 8 17 19 40 30
Owner to move into unit 24 2 8 0 0 0 2 0 24 0 24 9 9 5 19 3 5 2 3 5 5 10 5
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
Closed for repairs 5 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
Other 74 4 5 0 7 5 12 3 66 8 74 17 37 19 56 14 17 12 5 12 14 30 17
Not reported 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Government displacement 53 7 2 0 0 12 12 3 51 8 53 24 21 8 39 3 14 9 4 5 12 21 15
Government wanted building or land 16 3 0 0 0 3 2 3 16 5 16 8 5 3 13 3 3 3 0 3 5 3 6
Unit unfit for occupancy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 33 3 2 0 0 9 8 0 30 3 33 14 16 2 24 0 8 7 2 3 6 14 10
Not reported 4 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.) 22 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 19 3 22 0 14 7 12 2 9 4 5 2 4 12 3
New job or job transfer 583 178 29 11 1 30 36 10 557 23 583 162 346 75 456 35 127 82 39 66 131 245 141
To be closer to work/school/other 494 100 45 5 9 40 57 19 482 27 494 129 307 57 397 21 97 58 36 63 114 189 128
Other, financial/employment related 239 44 41 3 5 11 14 14 221 12 239 59 139 41 158 12 82 47 29 49 36 76 78
To establish own household 1251 290 144 22 30 142 146 16 1213 57 1251 335 730 187 931 90 321 215 97 160 317 491 284
Needed larger house or apartment 1261 366 70 10 24 132 147 33 1241 57 1261 288 795 177 939 81 322 221 96 197 306 498 260
Married 214 43 19 0 2 13 18 5 156 7 214 27 150 37 143 18 71 52 19 32 59 72 50
Widowed, divorced or separated 187 52 51 0 8 2 13 29 178 17 187 13 104 71 118 30 69 27 41 34 41 90 22
Other, family/person related 576 122 126 3 17 36 32 125 513 75 576 121 316 140 353 39 224 117 100 83 139 234 120
Wanted better home 1175 366 104 12 32 122 155 79 1151 62 1175 287 681 207 819 60 355 196 147 190 248 450 288
Change from owner to renter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Change from renter to owner 1160 222 117 10 25 142 174 19 1153 51 1160 322 676 163 888 60 272 163 103 162 260 407 331
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 222 34 55 0 5 13 32 23 215 6 222 70 102 51 151 21 72 35 30 42 44 86 49
Other housing related reasons 403 102 52 0 15 30 28 45 377 50 403 59 261 82 248 24 155 97 57 83 90 129 101
Other 941 253 154 5 31 69 82 133 908 89 941 195 490 257 591 89 350 174 168 121 191 367 262
Not reported 198 70 31 3 20 8 13 50 188 41 198 29 109 61 123 8 75 22 52 24 41 86 47

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 145 46 5 3 7 14 6 14 135 8 145 27 98 19 93 4 52 37 15 28 20 53 44
Private displacement 23 2 7 0 7 0 2 0 23 6 23 8 7 8 13 6 10 7 3 0 11 6 6
Government displacement 17 0 2 0 0 3 3 3 17 5 17 10 4 2 10 0 6 4 2 3 7 5 2
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 16 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 16 0 11 5 9 2 7 4 2 2 4 7 3
New job or job transfer 501 152 17 8 1 25 27 7 477 18 501 138 305 58 407 33 93 63 25 57 117 208 119
To be closer to work/school/other 290 49 31 0 3 19 31 7 285 22 290 62 193 35 245 18 46 28 18 26 60 117 87
Other, financial/employment related 108 19 31 3 5 7 4 8 94 9 108 25 61 22 68 3 41 21 20 21 20 28 40
To establish own household 757 167 89 18 20 86 78 3 729 41 757 222 418 117 576 56 181 113 61 80 196 306 176
Needed larger house or apartment 777 223 29 8 15 83 85 21 762 38 777 191 470 117 608 62 170 115 54 101 198 330 148
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 298 53 55 2 12 9 20 27 233 18 298 29 187 82 197 36 101 55 46 47 68 137 45
Other, family/personal related 392 88 100 3 11 19 15 99 341 61 392 88 196 108 229 27 163 76 81 50 100 158 84
Wanted better home 560 209 83 2 19 51 77 56 543 46 560 129 310 121 358 22 203 99 99 76 98 277 109
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 783 140 72 3 17 102 128 12 780 40 783 227 446 110 604 42 179 105 68 116 192 258 217
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 102 17 21 0 0 4 13 10 95 3 102 34 49 20 79 12 23 16 8 25 18 36 24
Other housing related reasons 238 72 26 0 5 5 15 34 221 26 238 35 144 59 139 16 99 56 43 43 65 77 53
Other 702 202 123 3 21 47 42 115 675 80 702 119 368 214 428 76 274 128 138 91 133 286 191
Not reported 251 75 33 3 20 17 20 50 236 47 251 45 137 70 170 15 82 27 55 37 44 107 65

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 1472 394 113 18 26 118 136 26 1425 55 1472 384 914 174 1166 81 306 202 94 217 339 582 334
Convenient to friends or relatives 1426 344 207 15 34 109 138 172 1311 126 1426 296 828 302 1000 108 427 232 194 208 340 592 287
Convenient to leisure activities 739 213 78 15 18 52 70 63 734 30 739 177 441 121 503 38 236 153 84 166 136 265 172
Convenient to public transportation 238 42 8 11 9 23 41 11 232 11 238 95 126 16 218 8 20 12 8 54 51 44 89
Good schools 1076 296 51 13 20 95 147 15 1054 46 1076 222 752 102 825 49 251 195 53 199 247 383 247
Other public services 294 70 12 10 8 26 43 33 289 20 294 73 172 48 229 25 64 38 22 44 77 88 84
Looks/design of neighborhood 2201 646 174 23 51 206 197 142 2161 111 2201 551 1300 349 1579 130 622 389 219 343 477 914 467
House was most important consideration 2114 487 133 25 51 180 249 114 2088 136 2114 529 1184 402 1631 216 483 290 186 334 508 784 488
Other 1042 247 232 11 29 80 73 81 941 84 1042 206 570 266 650 87 392 200 180 126 260 354 303
Not reported 192 71 33 3 20 9 13 48 187 45 192 29 99 64 117 11 75 22 53 22 33 90 47

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 275 77 20 5 3 19 18 22 268 10 275 74 169 32 227 13 48 29 19 60 52 80 82
Convenient to job 739 199 73 5 14 62 54 16 705 41 739 198 451 90 588 41 152 98 49 89 168 308 173
Convenient to friends or relatives 730 158 136 2 16 63 67 128 637 96 730 155 410 164 494 38 236 110 126 100 183 325 122
Convenient to leisure activities 173 63 39 3 3 3 10 24 173 13 173 40 78 55 95 13 78 36 42 34 20 78 40
Convenient to public transportation 29 3 0 0 0 7 9 2 29 0 29 16 13 0 27 0 2 2 0 12 4 11 3
Good schools 418 86 17 3 3 26 60 5 403 12 418 96 287 34 330 14 88 65 20 66 96 157 99
Other public services 40 16 7 0 2 0 6 10 40 5 40 11 23 7 25 2 16 8 4 0 6 18 17
Looks/design of neighborhood 1096 315 97 8 38 123 91 71 1062 71 1096 257 648 191 747 61 349 211 129 149 211 490 246
House was most important consideration 1366 307 89 15 35 113 168 66 1353 97 1366 343 737 286 1044 161 323 192 125 164 361 531 311
Other 900 224 217 11 27 67 66 74 799 76 900 167 489 244 537 75 364 182 169 108 212 306 274
Not reported 196 71 33 3 20 9 15 48 191 45 196 33 99 64 121 11 75 22 53 24 36 90 47

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 2200 440 429 15 78 160 227 238 1954 261 2200 520 1153 526 1427 139 773 378 388 291 518 945 446
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 3499 990 236 36 64 318 327 176 3447 157 3499 827 2120 552 2632 258 867 550 294 488 788 1346 876
Not reported 263 87 65 3 20 13 11 52 258 48 263 44 131 88 175 33 88 27 55 25 43 103 92

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 2059 403 295 22 64 125 209 129 1976 148 2059 534 1128 397 1492 166 568 329 230 257 523 746 534
Room layout/design 2549 849 225 23 50 223 230 190 2517 122 2549 617 1548 385 1870 153 679 426 231 370 547 1038 594
Kitchen 729 210 77 10 12 66 97 67 722 29 729 184 403 141 530 56 199 108 85 123 140 268 197
Size 1886 514 174 20 41 197 208 133 1861 107 1886 531 1067 288 1445 119 441 259 169 273 421 753 438
Exterior appearance 1332 327 76 15 11 144 133 83 1317 53 1332 373 751 208 1004 83 327 194 124 222 260 522 328
Yard/trees/view 1371 252 90 13 22 97 141 89 1340 58 1371 327 746 298 990 126 381 206 172 253 270 518 331
Quality of construction 1230 395 105 13 21 94 131 94 1210 60 1230 289 707 234 877 94 352 206 140 216 259 481 274
Only one available 223 35 50 2 15 12 37 7 209 10 223 51 127 45 152 11 71 31 34 42 40 80 60
Other 864 171 116 0 32 66 51 90 714 91 864 182 474 209 549 62 315 160 147 91 256 303 215
Not reported 194 71 33 3 20 9 13 48 189 45 194 32 101 62 122 11 72 22 50 22 33 94 45

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 352 108 25 3 4 40 34 33 350 20 352 85 211 56 252 18 100 61 38 82 82 101 87
Financial reasons 1442 247 253 17 50 78 152 75 1362 119 1442 365 771 305 1054 128 387 207 177 152 369 528 393
Room layout/design 1384 540 110 13 31 121 102 118 1363 72 1384 320 871 193 985 67 399 258 126 200 315 580 290
Kitchen 42 7 5 0 3 4 10 4 42 5 42 13 28 0 34 0 8 5 0 7 5 25 5
Size 711 151 79 5 12 76 98 37 701 51 711 182 423 106 574 52 137 83 54 82 148 336 146
Exterior appearance 271 43 4 3 2 46 20 15 266 22 271 89 144 39 196 22 75 58 17 46 42 124 59
Yard/trees/view 365 58 39 7 7 13 27 24 354 20 365 79 178 107 243 51 122 65 56 69 68 135 93
Quality of construction 340 125 34 3 3 37 41 35 329 22 340 63 209 68 240 19 100 48 49 44 67 155 74
Only one available 136 31 35 0 6 12 24 7 123 5 136 25 73 38 84 9 52 17 29 21 24 55 37
Other 718 137 111 0 23 55 42 70 573 83 718 139 388 191 444 52 274 127 139 77 198 260 183
Not reported 201 71 35 3 20 9 13 48 195 45 201 32 107 62 126 11 74 24 50 24 33 96 47

Home Search

Now in house		 4889 1203 0 39 129 432 493 364 4628 333 4889 1173 2850 866 3677 383 1213 711 483 673 1132 1934 1151
Did not look at apartments 4277 1065 0 31 102 373 430 295 4039 262 4277 1017 2496 764 3183 342 1094 654 423 574 1007 1687 1008
Looked at apartments too 400 73 0 5 7 40 49 27 382 29 400 112 221 67 335 34 65 30 33 68 92 150 90
Search not reported 212 66 0 3 20 19 15 43 207 42 212 45 133 35 159 7 54 26 27 30 33 96 52
Now in manufactured/mobile home 729 258 729 7 13 42 40 61 696 98 729 69 369 292 230 41 500 236 251 49 152 375 153
Did not look at apartments 567 170 567 7 11 42 27 40 533 74 567 45 282 240 166 40 401 196 199 26 114 315 111
Looked at apartments too 122 59 122 0 2 0 12 8 122 13 122 17 82 24 63 0 59 35 24 18 33 47 24
Search not reported 40 29 40 0 0 0 0 13 40 11 40 7 5 28 0 0 40 5 28 5 4 13 18
Now in apartment 344 55 0 7 19 18 31 41 335 34 344 150 186 8 328 6 16 8 2 83 65 86 111
Did not look at houses 196 17 0 0 19 12 24 35 187 26 196 73 118 5 186 5 10 8 0 58 28 57 54
Looked at houses too 116 29 0 7 0 5 7 2 116 6 116 71 44 0 112 0 3 0 0 17 29 19 50
Search not reported 32 9 0 0 0 0 0 4 32 2 32 5 24 3 30 1 2 0 2 8 8 10 7

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 4021 1119 416 40 73 373 442 209 3860 278 4021 920 2387 714 2872 253 1149 664 462 543 878 1711 890
Worse home 508 65 102 5 27 8 45 53 464 46 508 127 242 139 352 61 156 71 79 75 115 157 162
About the same 1194 252 171 6 40 91 64 144 1104 93 1194 295 650 250 857 108 337 194 142 164 316 420 294
Not reported 238 82 40 3 22 19 13 61 230 48 238 49 126 63 152 8 86 25 55 22 40 107 69

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 3056 789 291 29 76 287 309 181 2906 205 3056 642 1924 490 2108 177 948 610 313 452 666 1261 677
Worse neighborhood 438 80 60 3 13 21 52 30 409 43 438 168 206 64 364 36 73 45 28 51 90 140 156
About the same 1997 489 289 16 40 137 164 175 1896 144 1997 474 1025 498 1473 194 524 215 304 251 476 788 482
Same neighborhood 212 70 50 3 13 27 24 15 199 26 212 51 113 49 121 12 92 55 36 20 74 93 25
Not reported 260 89 40 3 20 19 15 66 249 47 260 56 137 66 169 11 91 30 55 30 43 113 74
@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