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




American Housing Survey for the United States: 1999


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Table 2-11. Reasons for Move and Choice of Current Residence--Occupied Units
[Numbers in thousands.  Consistent with the 1990 Census.  ... means not applicable or sample too small.  - means zero or rounds to zero.]
Housing unit characteristics
Tenure
Physical problems
Household characteristics
Total
occupied
units		 Owner Renter New con-
struction
4 years		 Mobile
homes		 Severe Moderate Black Hispanic Elderly
(65 years
and over)		 Moved in
past year		 Below
poverty
level		 Total
occupied
units		 In MSAs
Central
cities		 Suburbs Outside
MSAs		 Urban
Total		 Outside
MSAs		 Rural
Total		 Suburbs Outside
MSAs		 Regions
Northeast		 Midwest South West

RESPONDENT MOVED DURING PAST YEAR

Total		 17825 5788 12037 2065 1142 364 1057 2700 2182 915 17385 3220 17825 6684 7840 3301 14123 1570 3702 1942 1731 2593 3980 6611 4641

Reasons for Leaving Previous Unit@1

Private displacement		 508 98 410 25 37 20 28 88 75 16 492 118 508 199 232 77 399 37 109 67 40 108 114 140 145
Owner to move into unit 179 15 164 2 10 3 12 46 36 9 174 45 179 61 95 23 155 15 24 17 8 50 35 46 49
To be converted to condominium or
cooperative		 17 3 15 0 0 0 2 4 2 0 17 2 17 9 8 0 15 0 3 3 0 0 7 4 6
Closed for repairs 13 0 13 0 2 0 4 5 0 0 13 2 13 5 2 6 11 4 2 0 2 0 2 6 5
Other 293 80 213 23 25 17 9 27 37 7 281 63 293 117 127 49 213 18 80 47 31 59 67 81 86
Not reported 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 6 6 6 6 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0
Government displacement 112 27 85 6 8 7 10 19 14 8 112 46 112 52 44 16 89 8 22 15 7 19 17 38 38
Government wanted building or land 26 5 21 0 2 0 1 7 3 3 26 13 26 10 17 0 25 0 2 2 0 1 5 2 17
Unit unfit for occupancy 4 0 4 0 2 2 0 2 0 2 4 4 4 2 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 0 2 2 0
Other 79 19 59 6 3 5 8 9 11 2 79 28 79 40 23 16 62 8 16 9 7 15 10 33 20
Not reported 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 112 40 72 4 10 4 3 36 13 6 110 20 112 57 30 26 96 15 17 6 11 31 20 52 11
New job or job transfer 2276 567 1708 310 84 28 137 220 221 1 2228 181 2276 809 1031 436 1811 226 465 255 210 247 428 992 609
To be closer to work/school/other 2196 438 1758 190 55 37 155 262 266 27 2136 415 2196 953 917 327 1882 192 314 179 135 262 530 809 595
Other, financial/employment related 929 180 749 58 57 31 57 164 124 42 892 148 929 362 408 160 748 75 181 97 85 135 176 301 318
To establish own household 2870 1061 1809 279 183 39 204 537 358 51 2844 539 2870 1085 1208 577 2314 298 557 265 280 433 711 1021 705
Needed larger house or apartment 2594 1120 1475 383 124 45 116 436 372 53 2568 358 2594 989 1219 386 2044 178 551 333 208 419 614 923 638
Married 440 182 258 53 13 9 19 43 40 4 370 30 440 140 182 118 305 35 135 51 82 56 113 138 132
Widowed, divorced or separated 467 169 298 72 39 14 21 36 38 42 466 57 467 124 230 113 348 55 119 61 58 50 159 139 119
Other, family/person related 1807 537 1271 178 166 62 135 263 233 205 1715 429 1807 597 795 416 1370 203 437 219 213 301 411 621 474
Wanted better home 2346 1020 1326 425 145 35 111 402 293 102 2305 380 2346 789 1094 464 1791 200 555 289 264 411 538 804 593
Change from owner to renter 193 0 193 13 15 9 12 30 20 24 185 25 193 75 76 41 144 18 49 24 23 31 45 69 48
Change from renter to owner 1032 1032 0 173 123 14 15 94 119 29 1032 83 1032 254 607 171 761 64 271 159 107 205 263 288 275
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 1043 210 833 75 81 24 78 191 167 75 1008 257 1043 422 430 192 837 100 206 109 92 200 248 351 244
Other housing related reasons 1385 407 979 157 78 37 111 209 179 122 1361 307 1385 542 614 229 1086 110 299 180 119 212 328 486 360
Other 2505 869 1636 305 226 55 157 326 272 248 2456 533 2505 896 1144 465 1880 190 625 348 275 370 469 923 743
Not reported 628 215 413 55 40 8 31 120 57 39 612 173 628 246 263 119 492 38 136 55 81 101 125 268 134

Main Reason for Leaving Previous Unit

All reported reasons equal		 424 146 279 70 21 10 29 57 78 16 420 43 424 116 178 130 273 35 152 51 96 35 65 148 177
Private displacement 210 17 193 4 19 10 11 43 38 11 202 57 210 102 80 27 166 15 44 29 13 46 47 45 72
Government displacement 50 12 38 2 4 7 5 19 4 5 50 30 50 29 16 5 39 0 11 6 5 5 13 18 14
Disaster loss (fire, flood, etc.) 100 33 67 4 10 4 3 36 13 6 98 20 100 52 23 26 85 15 16 5 11 29 15 47 8
New job or job transfer 2011 507 1504 287 79 26 109 181 198 0 1975 152 2011 723 917 371 1593 185 418 232 186 218 378 884 530
To be closer to work/school/other 1611 237 1374 126 31 28 111 187 196 18 1559 343 1611 736 619 256 1418 164 193 101 92 175 379 620 436
Other, financial/employment related 553 110 443 42 41 19 37 106 80 29 530 81 553 214 262 77 457 39 96 58 38 79 106 181 187
To establish own household 2095 709 1386 187 131 34 155 443 253 29 2075 443 2095 857 830 408 1724 219 371 175 188 285 535 788 488
Needed larger house or apartment 1814 708 1106 262 82 28 88 310 274 37 1794 275 1814 725 824 265 1451 124 364 215 141 286 426 678 425
Married, widowed, divorced, or separated 1033 327 706 133 64 18 42 100 73 36 946 118 1033 316 507 211 796 100 238 126 111 138 312 358 226
Other, family/personal related 1350 388 961 146 133 51 101 193 174 176 1277 317 1350 450 582 318 1019 155 331 165 163 224 309 467 349
Wanted better home 1337 515 823 248 94 17 65 258 175 88 1317 234 1337 482 577 279 1052 127 286 133 152 223 301 481 332
Change from owner to renter or
renter to owner		 914 791 123 135 113 15 16 90 114 42 908 75 914 249 527 138 689 54 225 141 84 166 233 256 258
Wanted lower rent or maintenance 648 116 532 43 39 11 45 125 114 64 632 159 648 254 273 121 532 57 116 50 64 118 146 222 162
Other housing related reasons 835 246 589 91 54 30 65 132 114 98 821 195 835 334 358 143 655 71 180 108 72 122 189 315 208
Other 1952 647 1305 210 168 41 127 273 190 219 1916 445 1952 720 865 367 1480 154 471 255 213 300 346 739 566
Not reported 887 278 609 73 59 16 48 149 95 42 866 228 887 326 401 160 696 59 191 89 102 143 178 362 203

Choice of Present Neighborhood@1

Convenient to job		 4776 1231 3545 522 191 69 296 656 542 45 4688 462 4776 1905 2123 748 4003 367 773 391 382 649 1005 1878 1245
Convenient to friends or relatives 3699 1210 2490 401 365 77 244 576 540 315 3567 636 3699 1298 1684 717 2815 260 885 418 457 601 854 1399 845
Convenient to leisure activities 1441 553 888 179 91 23 90 136 114 110 1423 136 1441 565 653 224 1174 89 267 132 135 298 294 468 381
Convenient to public transportation 881 209 672 44 15 32 70 202 119 50 869 173 881 535 302 44 847 33 34 19 11 232 174 221 254
Good schools 2197 874 1323 297 89 57 122 295 291 13 2173 451 2197 713 1168 316 1735 131 462 272 185 302 521 799 576
Other public services 697 181 517 60 16 14 31 123 88 43 687 130 697 300 311 86 624 55 73 43 31 142 164 221 169
Looks/design of neighborhood 4497 2125 2372 784 239 63 142 565 468 267 4441 474 4497 1552 2278 668 3445 276 1053 649 392 705 965 1683 1144
House was most important consideration 3573 1638 1934 422 137 44 171 507 440 184 3521 569 3573 1217 1614 742 2793 358 780 390 384 546 916 1180 931
Other 3160 883 2277 342 238 99 272 481 362 180 3049 785 3160 1252 1225 684 2480 335 681 330 348 418 758 1101 884
Not reported 1968 621 1347 181 155 39 119 357 251 97 1921 486 1968 782 824 363 1577 187 391 212 175 309 389 718 552

Main Reason for Choice of Present
Neighborhood

All reported reasons equal		 636 251 385 72 15 12 27 80 114 45 626 79 636 251 292 93 508 45 128 78 47 89 106 246 194
Convenient to job 3277 623 2654 311 117 57 203 456 368 33 3199 312 3277 1357 1431 490 2780 249 498 257 241 419 659 1358 840
Convenient to friends or relatives 2246 685 1560 249 283 55 143 362 354 236 2140 449 2246 752 998 496 1631 178 615 289 318 338 516 910 482
Convenient to leisure activities 312 117 195 47 18 5 15 23 20 41 302 44 312 124 121 67 252 27 60 21 39 50 56 98 108
Convenient to public transportation 189 18 171 9 0 4 22 60 27 6 186 52 189 119 61 8 187 8 2 2 0 44 31 63 50
Good schools 1137 358 779 107 36 37 61 148 136 0 1123 274 1137 375 602 160 944 87 193 119 74 161 260 415 301
Other public services 177 28 149 9 3 8 13 36 20 16 177 51 177 89 63 25 165 20 12 7 5 26 46 67 38
Looks/design of neighborhood 2612 1239 1372 510 179 38 84 358 270 154 2577 291 2612 870 1333 409 1952 173 660 414 237 375 588 962 687
House was most important consideration 2491 1091 1400 276 114 18 119 389 297 122 2452 455 2491 873 1055 563 1955 288 536 255 275 405 649 804 633
Other 2771 750 2021 294 222 90 248 431 323 166 2672 727 2771 1093 1056 623 2169 307 602 286 316 368 678 970 755
Not reported 1978 627 1351 181 155 39 122 357 254 97 1931 486 1978 782 829 366 1581 189 396 214 178 317 391 718 552

Neighborhood Search

Looked at just this neighborhood		 7881 2276 5605 873 747 177 470 1182 1089 512 7567 1610 7881 2889 3288 1704 5992 721 1889 893 984 1122 1680 3089 1990
Looked at other neighborhood(s) 9332 3305 6027 1140 360 182 557 1389 1040 370 9218 1431 9332 3542 4295 1495 7641 817 1690 996 678 1378 2182 3257 2515
Not reported 612 207 405 52 35 6 31 129 53 33 601 179 612 253 257 102 490 32 122 53 69 94 118 264 136

Choice of Present Home@1

Financial reasons		 6271 1843 4429 521 522 154 399 949 789 252 6149 1292 6271 2492 2645 1134 5044 570 1227 656 564 887 1380 2382 1622
Room layout/design 5084 2232 2852 988 259 67 214 697 509 328 5032 607 5084 1815 2544 724 4046 326 1038 630 398 816 1167 1872 1229
Kitchen 965 495 470 189 59 16 35 96 98 65 957 112 965 303 490 172 748 55 217 99 117 188 221 358 197
Size 4235 1613 2623 574 188 58 255 630 509 199 4180 593 4235 1648 1855 732 3365 311 870 444 421 693 909 1555 1078
Exterior appearance 2275 1167 1108 399 88 25 81 306 231 147 2265 242 2275 778 1148 348 1769 132 506 281 217 333 516 825 600
Yard/trees/view 2158 1080 1077 248 124 29 81 233 182 99 2132 280 2158 650 1073 435 1575 166 583 311 270 345 454 735 624
Quality of construction 1629 950 679 383 103 18 43 180 162 113 1619 168 1629 526 790 314 1208 106 420 208 208 280 395 580 374
Only one available 1556 215 1342 74 103 55 102 303 253 96 1513 407 1556 612 628 317 1263 154 294 126 163 207 375 549 424
Other 2631 721 1910 319 123 59 150 331 303 163 2474 468 2631 990 1084 557 2061 262 569 274 295 387 604 930 709
Not reported 1773 543 1230 185 100 32 111 293 220 103 1725 382 1773 663 757 352 1436 185 337 165 167 248 372 640 513

Main Reason for Choice of Present Home

All reported reasons equal		 847 355 492 122 48 14 44 117 124 63 836 120 847 297 411 139 654 58 193 107 82 130 140 348 229
Financial reasons 4954 1355 3599 350 441 135 345 793 630 173 4842 1089 4954 1986 2077 890 3991 474 963 541 416 684 1112 1878 1281
Room layout/design 2961 1340 1621 642 145 38 132 393 298 188 2936 357 2961 1057 1508 396 2356 181 605 387 215 478 687 1138 658
Kitchen 90 41 49 17 9 0 2 3 10 2 88 18 90 25 54 12 79 0 12 0 12 25 23 24 18
Size 2093 612 1481 189 76 25 141 368 282 73 2058 320 2093 850 857 386 1694 180 399 191 207 308 465 766 553
Exterior appearance 589 297 293 56 26 7 31 96 53 37 587 72 589 211 280 97 479 45 110 52 52 77 151 200 161
Yard/trees/view 625 262 363 59 52 12 31 57 49 37 612 100 625 145 312 167 414 54 210 97 113 89 113 203 220
Quality of construction 499 309 190 140 54 13 8 72 53 25 495 55 499 147 227 126 335 39 164 77 87 80 127 195 97
Only one available 1244 125 1120 45 84 45 86 251 218 83 1203 338 1244 480 514 251 1015 128 230 102 123 165 281 453 344
Other 2141 542 1598 256 108 42 126 258 245 127 1996 369 2141 820 838 482 1662 225 479 222 257 308 506 763 564
Not reported 1781 550 1232 189 100 32 111 293 220 107 1734 382 1781 666 762 354 1444 187 337 165 167 251 374 642 515

Home Search

Now in house		 8645 4693 3952 1279 0 115 354 1104 950 397 8407 1157 8645 2646 4263 1735 6419 738 2226 1207 998 1099 1980 3334 2233
Did not look at apartments 6772 4102 2670 1115 0 90 232 771 712 335 6570 795 6772 1965 3424 1383 4908 567 1864 1027 816 867 1577 2635 1693
Looked at apartments too 1531 403 1128 137 0 21 105 273 224 41 1508 280 1531 588 664 280 1259 153 272 146 127 191 333 547 460
Search not reported 341 187 154 28 0 4 17 60 13 20 329 82 341 94 175 72 252 18 89 35 55 41 70 152 79
Now in mobile home 1142 724 418 328 1142 14 43 104 63 102 1110 269 1142 68 514 560 346 90 795 326 470 77 179 638 248
Did not look at apartments 844 574 271 259 844 10 20 71 49 76 824 197 844 44 393 407 235 59 609 261 349 47 133 475 190
Looked at apartments too 262 129 133 57 262 4 19 28 14 23 251 67 262 23 110 129 103 30 159 60 99 28 41 138 56
Search not reported 35 21 15 12 35 0 4 4 0 3 35 5 35 0 11 24 8 2 27 5 22 2 5 25 3
Now in apartment 8038 371 7667 458 0 236 660 1492 1169 416 7868 1794 8038 3970 3063 1005 7358 742 680 409 264 1418 1822 2639 2161
Did not look at houses 5736 229 5508 314 0 141 456 1045 862 341 5602 1231 5736 2912 2158 667 5220 472 517 314 195 1007 1254 2009 1467
Looked at houses too 1962 113 1849 123 0 65 183 377 252 53 1929 441 1962 877 777 308 1827 247 135 74 61 328 492 537 605
Search not reported 340 29 311 21 0 30 21 70 55 22 337 122 340 181 129 30 312 23 28 21 7 83 76 93 89

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous Home

Better home		 9420 3850 5570 1461 607 155 489 1394 1235 418 9233 1561 9420 3385 4277 1757 7291 779 2128 1130 978 1494 2070 3421 2435
Worse home 2963 522 2441 150 239 111 293 426 309 124 2895 580 2963 1244 1178 542 2475 311 488 258 230 373 692 1018 880
About the same 4751 1184 3568 394 251 89 235 746 584 333 4582 881 4751 1771 2097 884 3786 432 965 505 452 615 1079 1877 1180
Not reported 691 231 459 61 44 10 40 135 54 40 675 198 691 284 288 119 571 48 120 49 71 111 139 294 146

Recent Mover Comparison to Previous
Neighborhood

Better neighborhood		 7257 2980 4277 1081 549 125 368 1079 945 321 7092 1222 7257 2413 3466 1378 5472 599 1785 990 779 1029 1536 2750 1941
Worse neighborhood 2317 372 1945 125 141 73 230 393 272 62 2263 523 2317 1129 819 368 2041 250 276 156 118 345 496 769 707
About the same 6777 1961 4816 696 352 134 382 976 790 449 6589 1133 6777 2548 2950 1278 5455 619 1322 652 659 964 1623 2512 1677
Same neighborhood 750 223 527 96 54 23 37 111 117 39 735 145 750 296 303 151 564 55 186 90 96 139 180 260 171
Not reported 724 252 472 67 47 10 41 141 58 43 706 197 724 298 302 125 591 47 133 55 78 116 143 319 146
@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: 1999
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