U.S. Census Bureau
 Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS)




First Quarter 2006 


Table 6.  Homeownership Rates by Area:  First Quarter 2005 and 2006
                 (in percent)



                                     First      First       90-Percent
Area                                quarter    quarter   Confidence Interval (±)a
                                     2005       2006    of 2006 rate of difference

United States.....................      69.1       68.5        0.5         0.4

  Inside Core-Based
     Statistical Areas……………………………       67.6       66.9        1.3         0.5
    In central cities.............      54.1       53.9        1.0         0.5
    Not in central cities
    (suburbs).....................      76.9       75.6        1.2         0.5
  Outside Core-Based
    Statistical Areas………………………………       76.7       76.4        2.6         0.7

 Northeast........................      65.4       64.7        0.9         0.8
 Midwest..........................      73.1       72.5        1.0         0.7
 South............................      71.1       70.4        0.9         0.6
 West.............................      64.9       64.4        1.2         0.8
 
 
    aA 90-percent confidence interval is a measure of an estimate's reliability.  The larger the 
	confidence interval is, in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate.
Note:  Core-Based Statistical Area data for 2005 and later are not comparable to earlier data.  
Beginning in  first quarter 2005, the Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey is using the 
new metropolitan and micropolitan definitions that were announced by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) in June 2003, and were based on the application of the 2000 standards to Census 2000 
data.  OMB announced updates as of December 2003, based on application of the 2000 standards to 
more recent Census Bureau estimates.  The December 2003 definitions are available at 
http://www.census.gov./population/www/estimates/metrodef.html.

Go to Housing Vacancies and Homeownership: First Quarter 2006
Contact Bob Callis or Linda Cavanaugh at (301)763-3199 or visit ask.census.gov for further information on the Housing Vacancy Survey.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division