Beginning in 2024, the Census Bureau implemented a processing change for the monthly contract rent variable collected in the American Community Survey (ACS).

The maximum allowed value for contract rent was increased to $20,000 per month for the 2024 data. For 2020 to 2023 data, the maximum value was $10,000 per month. Prior to 2020, this value was $4,000. As gross rent is monthly contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities and fuels, this increase in contract rent leads to a corresponding increase in the maximum allowed value for gross rent. 

This processing change was a result of research into high-cost areas, which found that some geographies were trending towards reported values that would exceed the existing cutoffs. By increasing the cutoff values, the ACS can accurately report on the costs incurred by respondents from all areas of the country. As a result of this change, the distribution of costs may be higher than it has been in years past. In geographic areas with high rents, users should use caution when comparing contract and gross rent to prior years.