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




American Housing Survey for the United States: 2003


To print this entire table, use 8.50 x 11 inch paper and landscape orientation.
American Housing Survey 2003
Table 4-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Renter 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		 11895 620 504 249 911 2238 2051 604 11599 2832 11895 5007 5073 1814 10435 1110 1460 735 704 1669 2490 4542 3194

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 337 15 12 14 33 49 55 24 330 63 337 134 142 61 297 41 41 21 20 52 81 86 117
Owner to move into unit 122 5 6 8 11 19 17 7 120 5 122 46 50 27 99 13 22 9 13 16 34 30 42
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 20 0 0 0 0 6 4 3 20 6 20 8 9 3 17 0 3 0 3 1 14 3 2
Closed for repairs 23 0 2 1 3 12 5 0 23 10 23 8 10 5 23 5 0 0 0 4 2 6 12
Other 170 9 3 5 18 12 29 14 166 42 170 73 73 25 156 22 14 12 2 31 30 47 62
Not reported 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 87 0 0 5 7 21 18 5 87 33 87 43 28 16 78 10 9 3 6 9 24 27 27
Government wanted building or land 10 0 0 0 0 5 1 4 10 6 10 6 4 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 4
Unit unfit for occupancy 14 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 14 8 14 7 3 4 14 4 0 0 0 0 6 5 3
Other 61 0 0 3 7 10 13 1 61 18 61 28 21 12 52 5 9 3 6 9 16 15 21
Not reported 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 2 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 85 0 15 0 14 31 5 6 85 35 85 30 27 28 62 10 23 6 18 9 16 42 18
New job or job transfer 1407 108 24 15 72 151 239 7 1389 183 1407 594 633 180 1235 117 173 102 64 186 275 570 376
To be closer to work/school/other 1476 86 36 49 140 154 238 23 1423 355 1476 708 583 185 1330 121 145 79 64 165 298 589 424
Other, financial/employment related 790 27 33 22 65 156 132 14 764 190 790 339 312 139 686 81 103 44 57 103 165 272 250
To establish own household 1835 72 81 36 137 396 340 17 1813 467 1835 788 761 286 1614 180 221 114 106 258 385 738 454
Needed larger house or apartment 1548 64 51 14 105 326 392 27 1526 366 1548 668 631 248 1354 128 194 69 120 237 322 558 430
Married 217 14 8 8 8 15 43 0 206 14 217 84 98 35 186 17 31 13 17 38 36 75 67
Widowed, divorced or separated 349 25 11 2 27 30 25 36 349 55 349 104 179 65 286 28 62 25 37 53 102 120 73
Other, family/person related 1359 57 89 40 142 231 280 184 1288 367 1359 509 598 252 1150 136 208 93 116 197 274 524 363
Wanted better home 1493 111 51 18 93 331 305 65 1467 352 1493 664 607 223 1285 121 209 107 102 200 301 629 363
Change from owner to renter 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 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 1003 21 40 14 85 187 167 60 985 225 1003 442 397 165 898 123 105 60 42 134 219 356 294
Other housing related reasons 977 46 46 25 87 212 181 90 946 279 977 421 419 136 842 63 135 61 74 172 228 352 224
Other 1827 101 76 53 172 351 259 137 1782 526 1827 759 765 303 1598 173 229 99 130 278 373 675 501
Not reported 407 32 21 11 31 102 40 31 403 127 407 159 190 58 356 33 52 26 26 77 89 131 110

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 201 9 20 5 8 27 34 16 201 39 201 91 86 23 171 10 30 17 13 24 39 92 47
Private displacement 125 8 12 8 4 17 19 7 123 20 125 34 66 25 111 21 14 10 4 24 21 21 59
Government displacement 37 0 0 0 3 10 8 4 37 19 37 18 8 12 33 8 4 0 4 2 7 14 13
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 78 0 15 0 14 31 3 4 78 30 78 28 25 26 57 10 21 6 16 7 16 40 15
New job or job transfer 1246 104 17 13 64 139 211 4 1227 166 1246 521 568 158 1097 107 149 92 50 158 244 505 339
To be closer to work/school/other 1066 69 28 38 86 114 160 18 1022 283 1066 507 421 137 967 97 99 59 40 113 210 423 319
Other, financial/employment related 462 19 25 15 24 107 82 12 441 106 462 199 186 77 396 44 66 31 33 44 98 175 145
To establish own household 1396 46 62 22 113 339 271 10 1376 356 1396 609 584 203 1240 132 156 86 71 186 301 555 354
Needed larger house or apartment 1146 45 41 12 73 268 284 21 1129 282 1146 507 477 163 1028 91 118 44 72 168 252 411 316
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 728 40 40 13 41 91 66 39 709 93 728 226 359 143 623 91 105 51 52 124 140 279 185
Other, family/personal related 1004 36 54 33 111 164 206 151 950 259 1004 403 431 170 853 90 151 70 80 142 194 403 265
Wanted better home 889 69 34 15 59 222 158 41 873 212 889 374 389 126 759 69 130 73 57 129 187 376 197
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 134 9 7 0 8 17 17 21 134 24 134 55 66 14 121 11 14 9 2 22 21 45 47
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 699 20 31 11 66 117 128 45 691 153 699 316 271 112 644 93 55 33 19 86 161 240 212
Other housing related reasons 624 30 28 21 56 141 126 58 598 171 624 257 285 83 537 45 87 49 38 104 150 227 142
Other 1477 82 68 31 125 297 211 108 1440 448 1477 620 602 255 1295 143 182 71 111 233 308 551 385
Not reported 582 35 21 12 55 136 67 47 571 171 582 244 249 88 504 47 77 36 42 104 139 184 155

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 3496 190 77 83 219 556 612 20 3443 450 3496 1484 1578 434 3148 277 348 184 157 490 658 1418 930
Convenient to friends or relatives 2848 111 155 69 214 520 569 218 2736 722 2848 1152 1228 467 2449 261 399 190 206 443 618 1086 700
Convenient to leisure activities 950 42 18 30 50 133 76 31 927 150 950 450 360 140 856 87 93 37 54 176 184 296 293
Convenient to public transportation 737 12 6 31 53 175 134 22 714 204 737 433 255 49 721 41 16 8 8 179 157 230 171
Good schools 1273 78 35 37 78 225 211 5 1249 383 1273 555 528 190 1147 136 126 70 54 137 229 497 409
Other public services 519 23 3 17 26 112 82 26 507 149 519 282 156 81 494 67 24 10 14 69 104 186 159
Looks/design of neighborhood 2322 179 59 36 168 468 352 136 2298 411 2322 979 1028 315 2023 172 300 148 143 285 480 955 602
House was most important consideration 1897 98 96 32 140 318 325 96 1881 468 1897 771 737 388 1621 247 276 130 142 269 449 656 522
Other 2710 125 123 66 252 552 429 165 2602 792 2710 1159 1144 407 2376 240 334 164 167 372 614 1041 683
Not reported 409 31 15 12 31 104 48 31 405 123 409 169 191 49 360 29 49 30 20 93 76 138 102

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 290 18 6 14 26 48 63 11 284 32 290 159 105 26 268 14 22 10 12 28 64 118 79
Convenient to job 2682 146 62 50 159 426 476 15 2647 357 2682 1112 1251 319 2425 205 258 138 114 356 473 1124 729
Convenient to friends or relatives 1919 68 138 47 144 343 395 188 1828 532 1919 722 878 319 1609 159 309 148 160 292 436 737 454
Convenient to leisure activities 260 16 5 3 21 26 15 13 247 31 260 131 94 36 239 21 21 6 15 53 36 79 92
Convenient to public transportation 177 3 3 7 8 62 22 7 171 63 177 103 70 4 177 4 0 0 0 39 51 53 33
Good schools 727 47 25 16 55 102 130 2 713 222 727 326 295 106 647 84 79 57 22 79 124 260 264
Other public services 161 10 0 2 13 45 40 20 156 56 161 91 39 32 154 24 8 0 8 19 33 61 48
Looks/design of neighborhood 1396 105 44 13 109 298 228 91 1380 261 1396 598 579 218 1211 121 185 79 98 169 292 560 375
House was most important consideration 1385 71 83 24 113 263 244 70 1377 378 1385 553 516 316 1173 216 211 109 100 180 336 462 407
Other 2479 106 123 60 232 522 384 157 2379 773 2479 1040 1053 385 2161 229 317 159 156 356 569 942 612
Not reported 420 31 15 12 31 104 55 31 416 126 420 173 195 52 371 32 49 30 20 97 76 145 102

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 5826 256 334 140 436 1000 1108 396 5604 1447 5826 2365 2452 1009 4957 562 869 413 447 922 1220 2196 1488
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 5589 328 149 98 443 1116 879 173 5522 1234 5589 2450 2394 745 5052 516 537 296 229 654 1170 2181 1584
Not reported 480 36 21 10 32 122 64 36 472 151 480 192 228 60 426 32 54 26 28 93 100 164 123

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 4569 156 196 107 378 822 805 155 4448 1112 4569 1990 1881 698 4029 446 540 284 251 650 887 1791 1242
Room layout/design 2836 240 42 39 194 578 452 136 2794 585 2836 1249 1246 341 2575 223 260 138 118 397 618 1131 690
Kitchen 495 34 7 9 25 98 73 20 495 101 495 233 207 56 447 30 49 22 26 95 93 177 131
Size 2818 176 60 44 185 562 490 118 2792 642 2818 1289 1130 400 2505 247 313 152 153 414 588 1069 747
Exterior appearance 1138 90 27 15 69 211 165 52 1119 233 1138 455 533 150 1013 97 125 69 53 148 254 462 273
Yard/trees/view 1188 67 40 31 76 150 190 65 1179 215 1188 429 567 192 962 92 227 125 100 140 258 467 323
Quality of construction 688 96 24 11 29 120 106 49 672 147 688 261 314 113 602 57 86 25 56 101 150 287 150
Only one available 1014 51 83 31 85 216 192 77 995 304 1014 385 432 196 861 111 153 68 85 160 208 346 300
Other 2303 98 102 50 178 390 344 166 2183 597 2303 956 971 375 2004 214 298 132 162 312 559 786 645
Not reported 406 31 15 10 31 100 49 31 402 122 406 163 188 55 351 29 55 30 25 87 70 139 110

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 334 28 12 11 24 45 71 25 329 61 334 147 150 37 302 25 31 18 13 31 56 117 130
Financial reasons 3827 133 181 97 335 692 680 123 3719 940 3827 1681 1561 585 3381 386 446 245 199 529 712 1557 1029
Room layout/design 1672 139 28 21 123 320 254 104 1648 332 1672 727 742 203 1523 136 149 78 67 233 381 676 382
Kitchen 46 0 4 0 4 16 10 2 46 8 46 35 5 5 43 5 2 2 0 9 7 20 9
Size 1701 91 37 19 114 371 330 60 1691 396 1701 741 706 254 1506 160 195 97 94 247 366 634 454
Exterior appearance 360 31 13 6 20 70 66 5 351 64 360 128 185 47 323 36 37 24 10 30 73 141 116
Yard/trees/view 419 13 23 10 23 32 78 16 417 67 419 144 201 73 323 30 96 53 43 43 105 149 122
Quality of construction 244 27 19 2 11 47 46 17 236 38 244 95 103 46 201 17 43 11 29 43 63 98 40
Only one available 833 43 74 24 70 183 149 60 820 257 833 306 359 168 701 97 132 60 71 131 170 296 236
Other 2042 84 99 48 155 359 319 159 1928 546 2042 840 862 340 1770 189 273 116 151 280 487 713 563
Not reported 418 31 15 10 33 102 49 34 414 122 418 163 200 55 363 29 55 30 25 94 70 141 113

Home Search

Now in house		 3614 161 0 59 226 679 616 162 3497 795 3614 1309 1593 712 2961 374 653 311 338 384 752 1509 970
Did not look at apartments 2432 97 0 35 141 433 412 115 2331 526 2432 837 1079 516 1939 257 493 231 259 236 518 1037 641
Looked at apartments too 1007 42 0 19 81 213 176 34 994 222 1007 412 430 165 877 103 129 66 61 125 197 411 273
Search not reported 175 21 0 5 5 33 28 14 172 46 175 60 84 31 144 14 31 13 18 22 36 61 55
Now in manufactured/mobile home 504 33 504 15 42 50 52 36 492 162 504 27 234 242 212 86 292 137 155 30 100 262 112
Did not look at apartments 342 26 342 7 32 29 38 34 333 116 342 8 171 163 120 46 223 106 117 17 70 183 72
Looked at apartments too 144 4 144 5 10 15 14 2 141 39 144 19 57 68 80 32 64 27 36 12 22 74 36
Search not reported 17 4 17 3 0 6 0 0 17 6 17 0 6 11 12 9 6 4 2 0 9 5 3
Now in apartment 7777 426 0 175 642 1509 1382 406 7610 1876 7777 3671 3246 860 7263 650 514 288 210 1255 1638 2771 2113
Did not look at houses 5424 302 0 114 381 1016 927 329 5305 1254 5424 2557 2290 577 5060 426 364 199 151 886 1130 1995 1412
Looked at houses too 1996 105 0 39 221 407 417 50 1951 496 1996 941 786 269 1867 215 129 72 55 293 451 658 595
Search not reported 357 18 0 22 40 85 39 27 354 126 357 173 170 14 335 9 22 17 5 76 56 118 106

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 5634 341 200 93 345 1088 1110 261 5484 1395 5634 2447 2320 867 4932 515 702 337 352 823 1183 2122 1505
Worse home 2355 84 149 87 284 396 274 84 2300 532 2355 960 1000 395 2078 269 277 146 126 288 517 908 643
About the same 3362 150 131 59 252 634 601 213 3276 745 3362 1396 1487 478 2947 287 415 220 192 445 681 1341 896
Not reported 544 46 23 10 29 120 66 46 539 161 544 204 267 73 477 39 66 32 34 113 109 171 151

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 4386 278 189 71 315 820 898 203 4255 1070 4386 1800 1909 676 3788 388 598 300 288 580 909 1740 1157
Worse neighborhood 1705 62 105 47 160 295 213 56 1675 465 1705 775 680 250 1570 189 135 72 61 236 318 623 529
About the same 4762 219 167 112 369 906 769 264 4645 987 4762 2000 2041 721 4186 451 576 299 270 635 1062 1812 1253
Same neighborhood 477 15 16 9 44 100 107 40 463 139 477 218 179 81 409 36 68 24 44 91 93 176 117
Not reported 565 46 26 10 22 117 64 41 561 170 565 214 265 86 482 45 82 41 41 127 108 191 138
@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

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: May 27, 2005