America Counts: Stories about Housing

How Many American Homes Have Pests?

The 2019 American Housing Survey shows that about 14 million occupied housing units reported seeing roaches and 14.8 million saw rodents in the last 12 months.

Were American Homes Ready for the Pandemic?

Isolating when someone is infected with COVID-19 is challenging when 38% of U.S. multi-person households don’t have two bathrooms and enough bedrooms.

Many American Households Use Stimulus Payments to Pay Down Debt

Millions of Americans are poised to receive a third stimulus check, one of the benefits of the American Rescue Plan Act. Many have used stimulus to pay debt.

New Apartment Construction Declined Nationwide between 2017 and 2019

The Census Bureau’s Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units provides information on new apartment construction and rental costs.

New Single-Family Homes Sold Not as Large as They Used to Be

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Characteristics of New Housing provides details from house size and number of bedrooms and bathrooms to wall types and sales prices.

Gaps in the Wealth of Americans by Household Type in 2017

The recently released Survey of Income Program Participation shows household wealth gaps. Home equity and retirement accounts make up 61.7% of household wealth.

Old Housing, New Needs

Only 10% of homes in the U.S. are aging-ready, while a quarter of all older households have trouble using some of the features of their home.

How Disasters Affect the Nation’s Housing

Using administrative records from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Census Bureau housing unit estimates now reflect the impact of natural disasters.

A Decade After the Recession, Housing Costs Ease for Homeowners

More homeowners are spending a smaller share of their income on housing, but the burden has not changed for renters.

The Impact of the Tech Boom on Housing

Zillow economists combine Census Bureau housing data and their statistics to measure the impact of the tech boom on rental prices and home values.

Homeownership Remains Below 2006 Levels for All Age Groups

The U.S. homeownership rate in the second quarter of 2018 was higher than at the same time in 2016 but no age group has fully returned to pre-recession levels.

NIMBY Meets YIMBY: Housing Movement Pushes for More Housing

Skyrocketing housing prices fuel the Yes In My Backyard campaign popular in costly metropolitan areas such as San Francisco.

Number of Housing Units Fluctuates in Past Decade

States where housing units were booming from 2006-07 declined mid-decade but started gaining again in 2015-16. Some states have been losing all along.

Homeownership Higher in Rural Areas

The American dream of home ownership is achieved more by rural than urban residents.