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




American Housing Survey for the United States: 2003


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American Housing Survey 2003
Table 2-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Occupied Units
Numbers in thousands. Weighting consistent with the 2000 Census.

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 alone 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		 17866 5971 11895 2036 966 316 1073 2659 2642 1055 17182 3240 17866 6436 8470 2959 14656 1468 3209 1677 1491 2478 3866 6829 4693

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 397 59 337 24 26 18 35 55 70 26 385 70 397 146 177 74 341 43 56 25 31 65 95 104 133
Owner to move into unit 143 21 122 5 8 10 14 21 28 7 137 8 143 52 60 30 117 16 26 12 15 20 40 35 48
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 22 2 20 0 0 2 0 8 4 3 22 6 22 8 11 3 19 0 3 0 3 3 14 3 2
Closed for repairs 23 0 23 0 2 1 3 12 5 0 23 10 23 8 10 5 23 5 0 0 0 4 2 6 12
Other 207 37 170 19 16 5 18 14 33 16 201 46 207 78 96 34 182 22 25 14 11 39 37 60 71
Not reported 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0
Government displacement 113 26 87 12 0 6 7 21 22 7 113 35 113 50 47 16 102 10 11 5 6 9 27 36 41
Government wanted building or land 17 7 10 7 0 0 0 5 1 6 17 6 17 9 8 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 9
Unit unfit for occupancy 14 0 14 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 14 8 14 7 3 4 14 4 0 0 0 0 6 5 3
Other 75 14 61 5 0 5 7 10 13 1 75 20 75 32 31 12 66 5 9 3 6 9 16 20 30
Not reported 8 5 3 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 8 1 8 2 6 0 6 0 2 2 0 0 4 4 0
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 119 34 85 14 19 0 16 31 10 11 116 45 119 44 40 35 85 13 35 13 22 11 22 59 27
New job or job transfer 1983 575 1407 273 40 19 91 178 269 19 1937 201 1983 731 985 267 1658 146 325 193 121 250 408 803 522
To be closer to work/school/other 1970 494 1476 196 58 55 147 169 276 37 1904 382 1970 838 860 272 1701 149 270 144 123 224 415 809 522
Other, financial/employment related 1011 221 790 71 52 22 71 169 169 29 968 197 1011 390 440 182 865 105 146 68 77 120 225 345 321
To establish own household 2976 1141 1835 325 150 54 170 516 500 32 2927 505 2976 1098 1390 488 2457 255 519 282 233 419 678 1168 711
Needed larger house or apartment 2672 1124 1548 399 75 17 119 406 494 67 2624 420 2672 939 1324 409 2178 177 494 257 233 421 590 907 754
Married 418 202 217 59 26 9 10 41 56 7 344 33 418 135 195 87 322 30 96 39 57 59 91 167 101
Widowed, divorced or separated 590 241 349 64 59 5 36 38 31 64 566 79 590 147 316 126 451 48 139 62 78 85 166 199 140
Other, family/person related 2023 665 1359 204 157 40 162 271 340 306 1863 421 2023 643 963 418 1598 181 426 188 237 293 420 769 541
Wanted better home 2432 939 1493 418 102 23 110 422 424 113 2385 389 2432 880 1195 358 1965 151 467 258 207 321 518 950 644
Change from owner to renter 199 0 199 16 10 0 13 22 19 36 199 34 199 72 88 39 167 25 32 16 14 32 47 56 63
Change from renter to owner 1030 1030 0 159 66 12 41 80 171 12 1017 67 1030 310 531 189 791 64 240 105 125 139 293 327 272
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 1220 217 1003 62 84 15 100 197 179 84 1186 248 1220 490 508 222 1039 138 181 94 83 162 269 427 362
Other housing related reasons 1337 360 977 129 67 27 95 225 217 123 1293 319 1337 501 635 201 1087 94 250 144 106 220 324 463 329
Other 2748 921 1827 315 146 70 196 392 308 279 2655 576 2748 970 1287 491 2200 222 548 272 269 410 558 1066 714
Not reported 641 233 407 96 55 13 37 122 56 69 625 166 641 214 316 111 516 44 125 58 67 124 145 231 141

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 261 60 201 30 25 5 8 29 39 27 256 39 261 101 134 25 211 12 49 37 13 28 51 112 70
Private displacement 139 14 125 8 15 11 4 17 23 9 135 25 139 36 71 31 119 23 20 12 8 24 24 28 64
Government displacement 49 12 37 10 0 2 3 10 8 6 49 20 49 22 15 12 45 8 4 0 4 2 7 17 22
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 110 32 78 14 19 0 16 31 5 9 107 41 110 42 35 33 77 13 33 13 20 9 19 57 25
New job or job transfer 1739 493 1246 251 31 16 83 165 230 13 1697 181 1739 636 870 232 1456 136 282 176 95 213 356 715 455
To be closer to work/school/other 1366 300 1066 130 42 41 86 129 180 26 1310 300 1366 578 595 192 1190 115 176 98 78 146 280 566 375
Other, financial/employment related 573 111 462 44 31 15 26 115 100 25 539 114 573 222 247 104 483 62 90 47 42 55 127 209 181
To establish own household 2123 727 1396 192 112 33 133 416 385 20 2088 379 2123 802 980 340 1782 184 341 185 156 282 500 852 489
Needed larger house or apartment 1835 689 1146 258 54 13 83 318 336 44 1796 319 1835 661 900 274 1513 125 323 171 149 293 399 629 515
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 1156 428 728 109 125 20 52 111 97 72 1034 148 1156 304 592 260 887 125 269 132 135 177 241 450 287
Other, family/personal related 1491 488 1004 142 105 33 123 199 241 250 1359 304 1491 499 700 292 1189 126 303 137 166 211 299 593 388
Wanted better home 1342 453 889 234 54 18 65 276 216 63 1310 232 1342 486 681 175 1098 78 244 144 97 175 278 544 345
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 941 806 134 115 54 12 46 81 164 33 934 75 941 315 482 144 746 50 195 90 94 144 239 306 252
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 832 133 699 46 60 12 73 122 132 66 808 166 832 337 337 158 718 98 115 50 61 95 191 290 257
Other housing related reasons 834 210 624 90 41 23 60 149 143 80 796 189 834 300 409 124 677 67 157 99 58 127 204 302 201
Other 2229 752 1477 260 138 48 147 333 253 228 2144 497 2229 788 1025 416 1776 186 453 217 230 339 451 872 567
Not reported 846 264 582 104 60 14 64 157 90 85 820 213 846 305 395 146 691 58 155 68 87 159 200 288 200

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 4776 1280 3496 472 155 94 261 627 751 36 4674 501 4776 1883 2263 630 4125 342 652 347 288 645 942 1924 1266
Convenient to friends or relatives 4196 1348 2848 399 306 82 240 607 689 345 3938 806 4196 1455 1966 774 3380 346 816 378 429 640 944 1594 1018
Convenient to leisure activities 1528 579 950 192 69 31 69 166 117 73 1496 176 1528 612 671 246 1278 106 250 107 141 254 320 531 424
Convenient to public transportation 926 190 737 53 20 31 55 186 156 28 892 215 926 508 352 67 889 48 37 18 19 223 202 271 230
Good schools 2120 847 1273 309 63 43 100 259 297 10 2069 420 2120 731 1113 276 1783 161 337 213 115 275 444 800 601
Other public services 767 249 519 95 11 17 26 123 117 38 755 158 767 351 300 116 696 82 72 38 34 109 168 249 241
Looks/design of neighborhood 4252 1930 2322 708 135 43 221 579 553 247 4197 501 4252 1430 2219 603 3471 284 781 450 320 538 937 1616 1160
House was most important consideration 3728 1831 1897 507 152 49 186 466 515 197 3666 534 3728 1252 1753 723 2991 374 737 383 349 527 885 1291 1026
Other 3841 1131 2710 423 230 89 284 648 531 283 3610 914 3841 1429 1752 659 3141 320 700 353 339 516 852 1512 962
Not reported 650 241 409 98 49 14 37 126 63 74 626 159 650 219 329 102 525 41 125 65 61 143 131 240 137

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 444 153 290 62 8 14 32 59 80 17 435 35 444 197 204 43 381 19 63 39 24 50 99 160 135
Convenient to job 3442 760 2682 311 127 58 189 461 557 26 3373 393 3442 1331 1670 441 2995 242 447 233 199 432 633 1460 918
Convenient to friends or relatives 2770 851 1919 230 260 58 161 393 466 298 2547 604 2770 893 1328 550 2156 215 614 277 335 417 640 1089 623
Convenient to leisure activities 391 131 260 54 10 3 24 36 16 21 375 42 391 164 166 61 323 23 68 30 39 72 62 138 119
Convenient to public transportation 199 22 177 5 12 7 8 63 22 14 183 63 199 109 80 10 190 4 9 3 6 39 59 65 36
Good schools 1135 408 727 180 48 19 61 118 170 5 1104 236 1135 401 601 133 936 89 199 149 43 145 221 412 356
Other public services 198 36 161 21 5 2 13 49 48 24 193 60 198 102 59 37 185 27 13 2 10 24 45 68 61
Looks/design of neighborhood 2475 1079 1396 376 95 16 148 368 348 160 2443 330 2475 861 1226 387 1997 192 478 274 195 313 551 928 683
House was most important consideration 2646 1261 1385 326 126 39 142 371 381 152 2609 425 2646 881 1193 572 2102 309 545 279 263 364 632 902 749
Other 3498 1019 2479 373 226 84 258 614 482 265 3275 889 3498 1275 1603 620 2849 305 649 326 315 475 791 1361 871
Not reported 669 249 420 98 49 14 37 126 74 74 645 163 669 224 340 105 544 44 125 65 61 148 133 247 142

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 8184 2358 5826 781 626 176 500 1174 1330 651 7648 1681 8184 2904 3677 1602 6460 702 1724 809 900 1220 1743 3185 2036
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 8943 3354 5589 1154 285 128 533 1338 1235 329 8821 1366 8943 3288 4416 1240 7587 720 1356 810 519 1114 1965 3364 2500
Not reported 739 259 480 101 55 12 39 147 78 76 712 193 739 244 377 117 609 46 129 58 71 144 158 280 157

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 6414 1845 4569 452 393 126 448 949 1028 224 6175 1234 6414 2467 2872 1075 5386 586 1028 528 489 902 1339 2438 1735
Room layout/design 5080 2244 2836 952 146 53 237 750 634 262 4985 656 5080 1815 2614 651 4243 334 837 507 317 710 1132 1971 1268
Kitchen 1010 515 495 196 29 11 30 133 128 44 1007 114 1010 371 526 113 832 48 178 110 64 178 211 351 270
Size 4479 1661 2818 596 152 54 205 676 640 222 4422 721 4479 1723 2111 646 3752 328 728 391 318 625 936 1687 1232
Exterior appearance 2270 1131 1138 389 58 19 93 301 284 114 2241 271 2270 735 1209 325 1855 168 414 249 156 291 498 888 593
Yard/trees/view 2423 1235 1188 274 106 42 105 199 297 141 2397 261 2423 693 1301 429 1802 155 621 341 275 322 577 864 660
Quality of construction 1719 1031 688 428 65 12 46 175 214 97 1687 175 1719 518 942 259 1353 105 366 197 154 229 421 649 420
Only one available 1185 172 1014 106 94 33 90 224 209 104 1154 323 1185 424 536 226 981 117 205 94 108 183 248 400 355
Other 3360 1057 2303 324 176 63 201 469 438 279 3059 713 3360 1197 1541 621 2716 279 644 297 343 464 783 1195 917
Not reported 649 243 406 104 49 16 37 120 65 74 626 158 649 219 323 107 519 41 131 65 66 139 129 240 142

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 587 254 334 93 12 11 33 56 97 36 578 63 587 225 306 57 503 29 84 54 28 75 107 199 206
Financial reasons 5155 1327 3827 310 360 113 394 780 847 181 4942 1048 5155 2016 2234 905 4338 503 817 407 402 701 1026 2061 1367
Room layout/design 3026 1354 1672 631 98 35 147 437 350 192 2969 376 3026 1045 1608 373 2527 200 499 323 173 396 714 1202 715
Kitchen 78 32 46 9 11 0 4 19 13 2 78 8 78 44 25 8 66 5 12 9 2 18 19 24 16
Size 2395 694 1701 248 73 29 127 425 408 109 2366 454 2395 937 1096 362 2025 199 370 203 163 335 503 904 653
Exterior appearance 633 273 360 82 22 6 32 78 100 30 622 79 633 187 352 94 533 65 100 66 29 72 109 251 201
Yard/trees/view 840 421 419 72 57 20 31 50 107 55 831 87 840 211 441 188 566 55 274 141 133 105 211 292 232
Quality of construction 586 342 244 147 35 2 15 64 84 35 567 46 586 175 301 109 423 28 163 72 81 76 163 234 112
Only one available 928 94 833 64 82 27 75 191 162 77 906 268 928 329 408 191 764 99 163 69 92 139 197 332 259
Other 2969 927 2042 276 167 58 173 438 409 262 2678 653 2969 1043 1359 566 2376 245 593 266 322 414 685 1086 784
Not reported 670 252 418 104 49 16 40 122 65 76 646 158 670 223 340 107 537 41 133 67 66 148 131 243 148

Home Search

Now in house		 8751 5136 3614 1426 0 113 334 1054 1110 496 8294 1078 8751 2552 4550 1649 6657 682 2094 1108 967 1041 1947 3492 2271
Did not look at apartments 6889 4457 2432 1186 0 83 234 767 838 387 6483 747 6889 1913 3637 1339 5103 516 1786 949 824 784 1578 2731 1796
Looked at apartments too 1477 470 1007 157 0 23 87 234 231 57 1442 255 1477 535 711 231 1261 139 216 118 93 195 282 603 397
Search not reported 385 210 175 83 0 7 12 53 40 51 369 76 385 105 202 78 293 27 92 41 51 62 86 158 78
Now in manufactured/mobile home 966 463 504 131 966 17 60 55 85 123 917 235 966 61 479 426 376 116 590 273 310 87 207 455 217
Did not look at apartments 689 347 342 100 689 9 46 29 65 108 643 183 689 30 353 306 241 69 448 204 237 58 136 344 152
Looked at apartments too 226 82 144 14 226 5 15 20 20 10 223 42 226 29 102 94 112 36 114 56 58 24 49 96 56
Search not reported 51 34 17 17 51 3 0 6 0 4 51 10 51 2 24 26 23 11 28 14 14 6 22 15 9
Now in apartment 8149 372 7777 479 0 186 679 1550 1448 437 7970 1927 8149 3823 3442 884 7623 670 525 295 214 1349 1712 2882 2206
Did not look at houses 5633 209 5424 332 0 124 403 1031 964 351 5502 1288 5633 2648 2392 593 5258 438 375 206 155 942 1176 2061 1453
Looked at houses too 2131 135 1996 128 0 40 235 427 443 55 2086 505 2131 992 863 277 2002 222 129 72 55 325 474 692 641
Search not reported 385 28 357 19 0 22 40 91 40 31 382 134 385 184 187 14 363 9 22 17 5 82 62 129 112

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 9657 4023 5634 1435 421 133 428 1385 1571 458 9283 1607 9657 3448 4657 1552 7804 729 1853 997 823 1358 2067 3667 2564
Worse home 2865 510 2355 138 222 97 330 430 302 144 2760 579 2865 1089 1236 540 2421 313 444 212 227 336 662 1088 779
About the same 4541 1179 3362 343 271 75 278 703 684 360 4348 846 4541 1637 2169 735 3772 370 769 402 364 619 959 1801 1162
Not reported 803 259 544 121 53 12 37 142 85 92 790 207 803 262 408 133 660 56 143 66 77 165 178 272 187

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 7404 3018 4386 1061 382 99 389 1055 1226 373 7101 1260 7404 2497 3675 1232 5912 556 1493 792 676 993 1538 2960 1913
Worse neighborhood 2091 386 1705 120 134 58 189 326 245 77 2028 495 2091 934 845 312 1897 224 195 104 88 280 392 783 636
About the same 6855 2094 4762 668 366 134 409 1021 964 455 6582 1091 6855 2454 3251 1150 5626 574 1230 640 576 912 1615 2551 1777
Same neighborhood 675 198 477 66 28 13 56 119 125 61 645 173 675 278 281 116 551 51 124 58 65 113 145 237 179
Not reported 840 275 565 121 56 12 30 138 82 90 826 220 840 274 418 148 671 63 169 83 86 180 175 298 187
@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: 2003

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Last Revised: May 27, 2005