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 5-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Occupied Units With Black
Alone Householder
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 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		 2659 421 2238 200 55 57 245 97 2553 788 2659 1396 1016 247 2449 168 209 129 79 371 547 1462 277

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 55 6 49 6 6 2 5 2 54 14 55 23 24 8 55 8 0 0 0 4 13 23 16
Owner to move into unit 21 2 19 0 6 0 1 0 20 0 21 7 8 6 21 6 0 0 0 0 5 9 7
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 8 2 6 0 0 2 0 0 8 5 8 5 3 0 8 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 1
Closed for repairs 12 0 12 0 0 0 3 0 12 6 12 7 5 0 12 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 5
Other 14 2 12 6 0 0 0 2 14 4 14 4 8 2 14 2 0 0 0 1 3 8 2
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 21 0 21 0 0 0 0 0 21 15 21 14 0 6 16 2 4 0 4 3 2 15 0
Government wanted building or land 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 5 5 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Unit unfit for occupancy 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 5 3 0 2 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Other 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 7 10 6 0 4 6 0 4 0 4 3 2 5 0
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
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 31 0 31 0 5 0 7 0 31 10 31 13 7 11 19 3 12 4 8 3 4 24 1
New job or job transfer 178 28 151 17 2 3 16 1 177 39 178 86 80 12 165 10 14 11 2 26 35 98 20
To be closer to work/school/other 169 15 154 7 0 6 20 0 157 46 169 101 59 9 161 7 8 5 2 18 25 114 12
Other, financial/employment related 169 13 156 2 0 5 13 7 159 74 169 102 53 15 155 5 15 3 10 21 35 97 16
To establish own household 516 120 396 48 9 11 66 4 506 134 516 259 200 57 464 40 52 36 16 66 104 301 45
Needed larger house or apartment 406 80 326 41 9 2 27 3 402 116 406 210 146 50 376 36 30 15 14 61 102 203 40
Married 41 25 15 2 0 0 1 0 30 4 41 13 24 4 36 4 5 4 0 4 7 24 6
Widowed, divorced or separated 38 8 30 3 0 1 5 1 38 1 38 20 17 0 33 0 5 5 0 4 14 17 3
Other, family/person related 271 41 231 17 2 4 19 25 243 91 271 154 111 6 254 4 17 15 2 32 65 139 36
Wanted better home 422 91 331 49 7 8 22 11 407 111 422 229 158 35 390 30 31 26 5 57 75 246 43
Change from owner to renter 22 0 22 0 2 0 0 0 22 2 22 14 6 2 22 2 0 0 0 5 3 14 0
Change from renter to owner 80 80 0 18 0 3 0 0 80 0 80 29 42 8 74 6 6 3 3 14 22 40 4
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 197 10 187 6 0 3 17 20 194 62 197 124 62 12 195 10 2 0 2 35 38 99 25
Other housing related reasons 225 12 212 19 11 4 16 24 212 82 225 118 89 17 200 9 25 16 9 23 55 117 30
Other 392 41 351 23 0 11 48 30 372 140 392 186 166 40 371 30 21 11 10 43 74 228 47
Not reported 122 20 102 16 6 0 13 2 122 38 122 59 50 13 110 6 12 4 7 24 22 63 12

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 29 2 27 2 0 0 0 1 29 15 29 20 7 2 29 2 0 0 0 4 12 13 0
Private displacement 17 0 17 6 6 0 0 0 17 4 17 2 6 8 17 8 0 0 0 0 2 6 8
Government displacement 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 7 10 8 0 2 8 0 2 0 2 0 0 10 0
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 31 0 31 0 5 0 7 0 31 10 31 13 7 11 19 3 12 4 8 3 4 24 1
New job or job transfer 165 25 139 14 2 3 16 1 163 36 165 77 77 10 153 10 11 11 0 25 32 90 17
To be closer to work/school/other 129 15 114 7 0 3 9 0 117 29 129 70 52 7 122 5 8 5 2 17 23 79 10
Other, financial/employment related 115 8 107 0 0 5 10 7 106 54 115 71 34 10 106 5 10 3 5 10 27 70 9
To establish own household 416 76 339 32 9 6 58 4 410 123 416 222 152 42 377 30 38 26 12 53 87 242 33
Needed larger house or apartment 318 51 268 29 9 2 17 3 314 94 318 167 116 35 298 27 20 12 9 54 73 155 37
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 111 20 91 3 0 5 11 3 101 23 111 51 45 16 98 11 14 9 4 16 24 57 15
Other, family/personal related 199 35 164 7 2 4 17 17 181 64 199 116 80 2 184 0 15 13 2 29 47 99 24
Wanted better home 276 55 222 33 4 8 18 4 265 66 276 153 107 16 256 11 20 15 5 42 53 153 28
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 81 64 17 13 2 3 0 0 81 0 81 37 37 7 75 4 6 3 3 18 10 49 4
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 122 5 117 6 0 3 16 11 122 38 122 81 33 8 122 8 0 0 0 19 28 58 17
Other housing related reasons 149 8 141 14 8 4 11 18 138 46 149 72 62 15 129 9 20 14 6 20 28 82 19
Other 333 36 297 18 0 11 38 24 313 127 333 153 141 38 314 28 19 9 10 36 66 196 34
Not reported 157 21 136 16 6 0 17 4 154 52 157 81 59 18 143 8 14 4 10 27 31 79 20

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 627 70 556 35 16 22 45 1 614 111 627 340 259 28 602 24 24 20 4 74 118 370 64
Convenient to friends or relatives 607 87 520 39 14 18 55 32 572 206 607 323 239 44 570 31 37 22 13 100 125 344 37
Convenient to leisure activities 166 34 133 20 0 8 2 1 165 37 166 93 68 5 153 3 13 11 2 34 15 101 16
Convenient to public transportation 186 11 175 9 0 8 13 5 181 77 186 116 70 0 183 0 3 3 0 31 51 93 11
Good schools 259 34 225 17 2 17 22 0 256 94 259 142 105 12 244 8 15 8 4 28 45 157 29
Other public services 123 11 112 8 0 12 1 9 117 47 123 85 29 8 117 6 6 3 3 20 20 71 11
Looks/design of neighborhood 579 111 468 61 11 7 39 17 574 134 579 274 246 59 520 43 60 44 16 70 105 350 55
House was most important consideration 466 148 318 60 11 5 36 23 462 135 466 264 148 54 417 33 49 28 21 79 103 233 51
Other 648 95 552 49 2 17 78 34 602 252 648 337 252 59 599 40 49 30 19 90 149 341 68
Not reported 126 23 104 16 3 0 13 2 122 37 126 59 55 12 114 5 12 4 7 28 16 68 14

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 59 11 48 3 0 2 8 1 59 13 59 36 23 0 56 0 3 3 0 4 15 35 6
Convenient to job 461 35 426 19 16 13 31 0 451 78 461 243 192 26 445 24 16 14 2 49 90 268 54
Convenient to friends or relatives 393 51 343 18 14 9 43 28 363 141 393 192 166 36 360 23 34 19 13 65 84 217 27
Convenient to leisure activities 36 10 26 5 0 0 0 0 36 2 36 19 17 0 31 0 5 5 0 6 0 21 8
Convenient to public transportation 63 2 62 0 0 3 7 0 57 27 63 38 26 0 63 0 0 0 0 4 24 28 7
Good schools 118 16 102 11 2 4 13 0 118 27 118 65 49 5 107 2 11 8 2 20 21 61 17
Other public services 49 4 45 2 0 1 0 9 46 20 49 35 5 8 46 6 3 0 3 4 9 30 6
Looks/design of neighborhood 368 70 298 36 6 2 24 6 363 76 368 182 137 49 331 35 37 23 14 39 72 227 30
House was most important consideration 371 108 263 43 11 5 31 20 368 117 371 207 112 52 331 33 40 22 18 61 82 185 43
Other 614 92 522 46 2 17 74 32 568 251 614 319 236 59 565 40 49 30 19 90 136 322 67
Not reported 126 23 104 16 3 0 13 2 122 37 126 59 55 12 114 5 12 4 7 28 16 68 14

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 1174 174 1000 70 32 38 82 49 1083 366 1174 650 403 120 1065 73 109 62 47 182 234 641 117
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 1338 222 1116 114 17 19 149 43 1326 372 1338 679 548 111 1250 87 89 62 24 159 288 746 146
Not reported 147 25 122 16 6 0 14 4 144 50 147 67 65 15 135 8 12 4 7 31 26 75 15

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 949 127 822 50 9 22 99 31 915 294 949 533 318 98 869 56 80 38 41 141 147 567 94
Room layout/design 750 172 578 94 12 12 57 26 741 167 750 371 328 50 678 36 71 57 15 96 157 424 72
Kitchen 133 35 98 15 6 0 7 7 133 25 133 72 50 11 120 5 13 7 5 27 26 64 15
Size 676 114 562 65 15 9 46 20 661 190 676 375 243 58 621 43 55 38 15 100 145 367 63
Exterior appearance 301 89 211 60 11 5 23 9 301 65 301 139 131 31 273 23 27 20 7 35 58 181 27
Yard/trees/view 199 49 150 29 3 5 27 17 199 52 199 108 67 25 182 17 17 9 8 23 33 123 20
Quality of construction 175 55 120 39 3 0 5 10 168 31 175 96 69 9 158 4 17 12 5 28 37 97 13
Only one available 224 8 216 8 14 7 28 25 220 90 224 138 60 26 216 21 8 3 5 41 45 111 26
Other 469 79 390 27 7 12 46 19 420 150 469 218 221 30 427 15 42 27 15 45 122 262 40
Not reported 120 20 100 16 3 0 13 2 116 35 120 59 48 12 108 5 12 4 7 28 12 66 14

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 56 11 45 8 0 3 6 7 56 16 56 26 28 2 51 2 5 5 0 7 7 27 14
Financial reasons 780 88 692 32 6 20 88 22 746 253 780 446 247 87 715 51 65 29 36 114 121 466 79
Room layout/design 437 117 320 55 12 4 33 17 435 85 437 203 211 22 398 16 39 33 6 54 96 249 37
Kitchen 19 3 16 0 4 0 3 2 19 3 19 11 3 5 19 5 0 0 0 3 0 11 5
Size 425 54 371 32 9 6 29 2 414 132 425 234 150 41 397 34 28 20 7 61 101 224 39
Exterior appearance 78 8 70 11 0 2 0 0 78 18 78 34 36 8 72 8 7 7 0 9 15 38 16
Yard/trees/view 50 18 32 5 0 3 6 5 50 10 50 27 10 12 47 10 2 0 2 7 10 25 8
Quality of construction 64 16 47 8 0 0 1 3 61 10 64 42 22 0 61 0 2 2 0 14 26 18 6
Only one available 191 8 183 8 14 7 27 18 188 82 191 108 57 26 183 21 8 3 5 31 41 96 23
Other 438 79 359 25 7 12 39 19 389 145 438 205 203 30 396 15 42 27 15 44 118 239 36
Not reported 122 20 102 16 3 0 13 2 118 35 122 59 51 12 110 5 12 4 7 28 12 68 14

Home Search

Now in house		 1054 375 679 134 0 13 85 38 979 270 1054 502 438 113 916 68 138 91 45 95 232 634 93
Did not look at apartments 767 334 433 110 0 11 57 35 697 193 767 359 323 85 653 53 114 82 32 69 175 455 68
Looked at apartments too 234 22 213 10 0 2 27 4 232 71 234 125 89 21 218 15 16 9 6 20 52 142 21
Search not reported 53 20 33 14 0 0 0 0 50 6 53 19 27 7 46 0 7 0 7 7 5 37 4
Now in manufactured/mobile home 55 5 50 7 55 0 7 5 52 13 55 7 16 33 32 23 23 13 10 2 5 41 6
Did not look at apartments 29 0 29 4 29 0 7 0 29 7 29 0 10 19 14 11 16 8 7 0 2 21 6
Looked at apartments too 20 5 15 3 20 0 0 5 17 6 20 7 5 8 12 6 8 5 2 2 0 17 0
Search not reported 6 0 6 0 6 0 0 0 6 0 6 0 0 6 6 6 0 0 0 0 3 3 0
Now in apartment 1550 41 1509 59 0 44 153 54 1522 505 1550 887 562 101 1501 77 49 25 24 274 311 787 178
Did not look at houses 1031 15 1016 42 0 34 77 38 1015 317 1031 601 374 57 997 39 34 15 19 168 190 548 126
Looked at houses too 427 20 407 9 0 10 56 12 416 144 427 236 150 41 417 36 10 5 5 78 105 200 43
Search not reported 91 6 85 8 0 0 21 4 91 44 91 50 39 2 87 2 4 4 0 27 15 39 10

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 1385 297 1088 147 26 19 77 58 1336 416 1385 734 537 114 1257 75 128 87 39 202 290 747 146
Worse home 430 34 396 23 19 17 81 7 408 133 430 230 138 61 402 39 28 6 22 60 86 235 50
About the same 703 69 634 11 4 21 73 28 669 196 703 371 276 56 660 45 42 31 11 82 153 408 60
Not reported 142 22 120 19 6 0 14 4 140 43 142 61 65 15 130 8 12 4 7 28 19 73 21

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 1055 235 820 106 7 21 71 35 1012 299 1055 524 448 82 970 64 84 64 18 150 229 580 96
Worse neighborhood 326 31 295 20 9 5 59 5 313 114 326 215 88 23 315 21 11 8 3 38 95 152 42
About the same 1021 115 906 50 32 30 88 53 981 292 1021 521 388 112 930 69 91 48 43 132 189 587 113
Same neighborhood 119 19 100 8 0 1 12 2 109 38 119 75 31 13 107 5 12 4 8 18 21 71 9
Not reported 138 21 117 16 6 0 14 2 137 46 138 62 62 15 127 8 12 4 7 34 13 73 19
@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