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 3-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Owner Occupied Units
Numbers in thousands. Weighting consistent with the 2000 Census.

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 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		 5971 1416 463 67 162 421 591 451 5583 409 5971 1429 3397 1145 4221 358 1750 942 787 809 1376 2287 1499

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 59 10 14 4 3 6 15 2 55 8 59 12 35 13 44 2 15 5 11 13 14 17 15
Owner to move into unit 21 0 1 2 3 2 11 0 17 3 21 7 11 4 17 2 4 2 2 3 7 5 6
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 2 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
Closed for repairs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 37 10 13 0 0 2 5 2 35 4 37 5 23 9 26 0 11 2 9 8 7 13 9
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 26 12 0 2 0 0 5 2 26 2 26 7 19 0 24 0 2 2 0 0 2 9 15
Government wanted building or land 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 0 7 3 4 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5
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 14 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 14 2 14 4 10 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 9
Not reported 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 2 0 2 2 0 0 2 2 0
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 34 14 3 0 2 0 5 4 31 10 34 14 13 7 23 3 12 7 4 2 6 17 10
New job or job transfer 575 165 16 4 19 28 30 12 548 18 575 137 352 87 423 29 152 91 58 64 133 233 147
To be closer to work/school/other 494 110 22 6 7 15 37 14 481 28 494 130 277 87 370 28 124 65 59 59 117 220 98
Other, financial/employment related 221 44 19 0 6 13 38 15 204 7 221 51 128 43 178 24 43 24 19 17 61 73 71
To establish own household 1141 253 69 18 33 120 160 14 1114 37 1141 310 629 202 843 75 298 168 126 161 293 430 257
Needed larger house or apartment 1124 335 24 3 14 80 102 40 1098 54 1124 271 693 161 825 49 300 187 112 183 268 349 324
Married 202 45 18 1 2 25 14 7 138 20 202 52 97 53 136 13 66 26 40 21 54 92 34
Widowed, divorced or separated 241 39 48 3 9 8 6 28 217 25 241 43 137 61 164 21 77 37 40 31 64 79 67
Other, family/person related 665 148 68 0 20 41 60 122 576 55 665 134 365 166 447 45 217 96 121 97 145 245 178
Wanted better home 939 307 51 5 17 91 119 48 919 37 939 216 588 135 680 31 259 152 105 121 217 320 281
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 1030 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 217 41 43 1 15 10 12 24 201 23 217 48 111 57 141 15 76 34 42 28 50 71 68
Other housing related reasons 360 82 21 2 8 12 36 33 347 39 360 80 216 64 245 32 115 83 33 49 95 111 105
Other 921 213 70 17 24 41 49 142 873 49 921 211 522 188 602 49 318 173 139 132 185 391 213
Not reported 233 65 34 2 6 20 16 38 222 39 233 55 126 53 160 12 73 33 41 47 56 99 32

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 60 21 5 0 0 2 4 11 55 0 60 10 48 2 40 2 19 19 0 4 12 20 23
Private displacement 14 0 3 2 0 0 4 2 13 4 14 2 6 6 7 2 6 2 4 0 2 7 5
Government displacement 12 10 0 2 0 0 0 2 12 2 12 5 7 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 9
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 32 14 3 0 2 0 2 4 29 10 32 14 11 7 20 3 12 7 4 2 3 17 10
New job or job transfer 493 147 14 4 19 25 19 10 469 16 493 116 303 74 360 29 133 84 45 56 112 209 116
To be closer to work/school/other 300 62 14 3 0 15 20 8 289 17 300 71 174 55 223 17 77 39 38 32 69 143 55
Other, financial/employment related 111 26 6 0 1 8 18 13 98 7 111 24 60 27 87 18 24 15 9 11 29 34 37
To establish own household 727 146 50 11 19 76 114 11 712 24 727 193 396 138 542 53 184 99 85 96 199 296 136
Needed larger house or apartment 689 213 12 1 10 51 52 24 667 38 689 154 424 111 484 34 204 128 77 125 147 218 198
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 428 69 85 7 12 20 31 33 325 55 428 79 232 117 264 34 164 81 83 53 101 171 103
Other, family/personal related 488 106 51 0 12 35 35 99 409 44 488 96 270 122 335 37 152 67 85 70 105 190 123
Wanted better home 453 164 20 4 6 55 58 22 437 20 453 112 292 49 340 9 114 71 40 46 90 168 149
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 806 106 47 12 38 64 146 12 800 51 806 260 416 131 625 39 182 81 92 122 218 261 205
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 133 26 29 1 7 5 4 21 118 13 133 21 66 46 74 4 59 18 42 9 29 49 45
Other housing related reasons 210 60 12 2 5 8 17 21 198 18 210 44 125 41 140 22 70 50 20 22 54 75 59
Other 752 178 70 17 22 36 42 120 704 48 752 169 422 161 481 43 271 146 118 106 144 321 181
Not reported 264 69 39 2 9 21 22 38 249 42 264 61 146 57 186 12 78 33 46 55 61 104 45

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 1280 282 78 11 42 70 139 16 1231 52 1280 399 685 196 977 65 303 162 131 154 284 506 336
Convenient to friends or relatives 1348 288 151 13 26 87 120 127 1202 83 1348 303 738 307 931 85 417 188 222 197 326 508 317
Convenient to leisure activities 579 151 51 1 19 34 41 42 569 26 579 162 311 106 422 19 157 70 87 77 136 235 130
Convenient to public transportation 190 41 14 0 3 11 22 6 178 10 190 75 96 18 168 7 21 10 11 45 45 41 59
Good schools 847 230 28 6 22 34 86 5 820 37 847 176 585 87 636 25 211 143 61 138 215 303 192
Other public services 249 72 8 0 0 11 34 12 248 9 249 70 143 35 201 16 47 27 20 40 65 63 81
Looks/design of neighborhood 1930 530 76 8 53 111 201 112 1900 90 1930 451 1191 288 1449 112 481 302 176 254 457 661 558
House was most important consideration 1831 408 56 17 46 148 190 102 1785 66 1831 481 1016 335 1370 127 461 253 208 258 435 635 503
Other 1131 298 108 24 32 95 102 119 1008 122 1131 270 609 253 765 81 366 189 172 144 238 470 279
Not reported 241 67 34 2 6 23 15 43 221 36 241 50 138 53 165 12 76 35 41 50 55 101 35

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 153 44 3 0 6 11 16 7 151 3 153 37 99 17 113 5 41 29 12 21 34 42 56
Convenient to job 760 166 66 8 30 35 81 11 725 36 760 219 419 122 570 37 190 95 85 76 159 336 189
Convenient to friends or relatives 851 162 122 11 17 51 71 111 718 72 851 171 450 231 547 56 305 130 175 125 204 352 169
Convenient to leisure activities 131 38 5 0 3 10 1 8 128 11 131 33 73 26 84 2 48 24 24 18 26 60 27
Convenient to public transportation 22 3 9 0 0 2 0 6 12 0 22 6 10 6 13 0 9 3 6 0 8 12 3
Good schools 408 133 23 3 6 16 40 3 391 13 408 75 306 27 288 5 119 92 21 66 97 152 93
Other public services 36 11 5 0 0 4 8 5 36 4 36 12 20 5 31 2 5 2 3 5 12 7 13
Looks/design of neighborhood 1079 271 51 4 39 70 120 69 1063 69 1079 263 648 169 786 71 293 196 98 144 259 368 308
House was most important consideration 1261 255 43 15 29 108 137 83 1232 47 1261 328 678 256 928 92 333 170 164 183 296 440 343
Other 1019 266 103 24 25 92 97 108 896 116 1019 235 549 235 688 76 331 167 159 119 223 418 259
Not reported 249 67 34 2 6 23 19 43 230 37 249 51 146 53 174 12 76 35 41 51 57 101 40

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 2358 525 293 35 65 174 222 255 2044 234 2358 539 1225 594 1503 141 854 395 453 298 523 989 548
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 3354 826 136 30 89 222 356 156 3298 133 3354 838 2022 494 2535 204 819 514 290 460 795 1183 916
Not reported 259 65 34 2 7 25 14 40 240 42 259 52 150 57 183 13 76 33 43 51 58 115 35

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 1845 297 197 19 70 127 223 69 1728 122 1845 477 991 378 1357 140 488 244 238 253 453 647 493
Room layout/design 2244 712 105 14 42 172 182 126 2191 71 2244 567 1368 310 1667 111 577 368 199 313 514 840 578
Kitchen 515 162 22 1 5 35 55 24 512 12 515 139 319 57 385 19 130 88 38 84 118 174 139
Size 1661 420 93 10 20 114 150 103 1630 79 1661 434 981 246 1247 81 415 240 165 211 348 617 485
Exterior appearance 1131 299 31 4 24 89 120 62 1121 38 1131 280 677 174 842 71 289 179 103 143 243 426 320
Yard/trees/view 1235 207 66 11 29 49 107 75 1218 45 1235 264 733 238 840 63 395 216 175 182 319 397 337
Quality of construction 1031 332 41 1 17 55 108 48 1015 28 1031 257 628 145 751 48 279 172 98 128 271 362 270
Only one available 172 55 10 2 5 8 18 28 158 19 172 39 103 30 120 7 52 26 23 24 39 54 54
Other 1057 226 74 13 23 79 94 113 876 117 1057 241 570 246 711 65 346 165 181 152 224 409 272
Not reported 243 73 34 6 6 20 15 43 224 36 243 56 135 53 168 12 76 35 41 52 59 101 32

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 254 65 0 0 10 11 27 11 249 2 254 79 156 19 201 4 53 36 15 44 51 83 76
Financial reasons 1327 177 180 16 59 88 167 58 1223 108 1327 334 673 320 957 117 371 162 203 172 314 504 338
Room layout/design 1354 492 70 14 23 117 97 88 1320 44 1354 318 866 169 1004 64 350 245 105 163 332 526 333
Kitchen 32 9 7 0 0 3 3 0 32 0 32 10 20 2 23 0 9 7 2 9 12 4 7
Size 694 157 36 10 13 54 78 49 675 58 694 196 390 108 519 39 175 106 69 88 137 270 199
Exterior appearance 273 50 9 0 13 8 34 25 271 15 273 59 168 47 210 28 63 41 18 42 36 110 85
Yard/trees/view 421 60 34 9 9 18 28 39 414 20 421 67 239 115 243 25 178 88 90 62 107 143 110
Quality of construction 342 120 16 0 5 16 38 18 331 9 342 80 198 63 222 11 120 61 52 33 100 137 73
Only one available 94 21 8 2 5 8 14 17 85 10 94 23 49 23 63 2 32 8 21 8 27 36 23
Other 927 192 68 10 19 79 90 103 750 106 927 203 497 226 607 56 320 150 170 135 198 373 221
Not reported 252 73 34 6 6 20 15 43 233 36 252 60 140 53 174 12 78 38 41 54 62 101 35

Home Search

Now in house		 5136 1265 0 54 107 375 493 334 4797 284 5136 1244 2956 936 3696 308 1441 798 628 658 1195 1983 1301
Did not look at apartments 4457 1088 0 48 94 334 426 273 4151 221 4457 1076 2557 823 3164 259 1293 717 564 548 1060 1694 1155
Looked at apartments too 470 115 0 4 6 22 55 24 449 33 470 123 281 67 383 35 87 52 31 70 85 192 123
Search not reported 210 62 0 2 7 20 12 38 197 30 210 45 118 47 149 14 61 28 33 40 50 97 23
Now in manufactured/mobile home 463 98 463 2 18 5 32 87 426 73 463 34 245 184 165 30 298 137 154 57 106 194 105
Did not look at apartments 347 74 347 2 13 0 27 75 310 67 347 22 182 143 122 23 225 98 120 40 66 161 80
Looked at apartments too 82 10 82 0 5 5 5 8 82 2 82 10 46 27 31 5 51 29 22 12 27 23 20
Search not reported 34 14 34 0 0 0 0 4 34 4 34 2 18 14 12 2 22 10 12 6 13 10 6
Now in apartment 372 53 0 11 37 41 66 30 360 52 372 152 196 24 361 20 11 7 4 94 74 111 93
Did not look at houses 209 30 0 10 22 15 38 22 198 35 209 90 103 16 198 12 11 7 4 56 45 66 42
Looked at houses too 135 22 0 1 14 20 26 5 135 9 135 51 77 8 135 8 0 0 0 32 23 35 46
Search not reported 28 1 0 0 0 6 2 4 28 8 28 11 17 0 28 0 0 0 0 6 6 10 5

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 4023 1094 220 40 83 297 461 198 3800 213 4023 1001 2337 684 2871 214 1152 660 470 535 884 1545 1059
Worse home 510 54 73 9 46 34 28 60 461 47 510 129 236 145 343 44 167 67 101 48 145 180 137
About the same 1179 193 140 16 25 69 83 147 1072 102 1179 241 682 256 825 84 354 181 172 174 278 460 267
Not reported 259 75 30 2 7 22 19 46 251 47 259 58 142 60 182 16 77 34 43 53 69 101 37

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 3018 783 192 28 74 235 328 169 2846 190 3018 697 1766 556 2124 168 894 492 388 413 629 1219 756
Worse neighborhood 386 58 29 10 29 31 33 21 353 30 386 158 166 62 326 35 59 32 27 44 75 160 107
About the same 2094 449 199 22 40 115 195 191 1936 104 2094 454 1211 429 1440 123 654 341 306 277 553 739 524
Same neighborhood 198 51 12 5 11 19 17 20 183 34 198 60 102 36 142 15 56 35 21 22 52 62 63
Not reported 275 75 30 2 7 21 18 49 265 50 275 60 153 63 189 18 86 42 45 53 67 107 49
@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