A Look at ACS Homeownership Rates

The 2010 homeownership rates estimated by the American Community Survey (an annual survey replacing the census long form questionnaire) confirm the lower rates counted by the 2010 census. According to the census, the 2010 homeownership rate was 65.1 percent. According to the ACS, it was 65.4 percent. Both figures are well below the 66.9 percent estimated by the Housing Vacancy Survey during the same time period.

Among householders under age 45, the ACS rates are even lower than the census rates. This could be due to the fact that the census counted homeownership as of April 1, 2010, and the ACS collected its survey data throughout 2010, when rates were declining among younger adults. Here are the comparisons...

	ACS	census
Total	65.4	65.1
<25	14.7	16.1
25-34	41.3	42.0
35-44	61.9	62.3
45-54	71.7	71.5
55-64	77.9	77.3
65+	78.6	77.5

Source: Census Bureau, American Factfinder