Census Bureau and HUD Celebrate the American Housing Survey’s 50th Anniversary

SEPT. 25, 2024 - Today the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released new housing data from the 2023 American Housing Survey (AHS), marking half a century of housing insights.

"For 50 years, the American Housing Survey has been the premier data source on our nation's housing quality and costs. On behalf of the Census Bureau, it is our privilege to work in support of HUD providing our statistical, methodological and field expertise in the production of this benchmark product," said Robert L. Santos, Census Bureau director. "Housing is a fundamental human need. The Census Bureau is proud to support HUD in providing reliable, high-quality statistics that guide informed decision-making and enhance urban and economic planning."

Currently conducted every two years, the AHS is the nation's most comprehensive housing survey, providing timely data on the size, composition and state of housing in the United States. The questions asked in the longitudinal survey of housing units are the only sources of information on characteristics and the physical condition of the nation's housing units, indicators of housing and neighborhood quality, and home improvement activities. Information from the AHS helps to measure the change in the housing inventory resulting from losses, new construction, and mobile home placements; the total number of vacancies; and the characteristics of the occupants.

"We are excited and honored to continue working with HUD to further enhance the timeliness and relevance of housing data," said Director Santos. "Starting in May 2025, HUD and the Census Bureau plan to move the AHS from a survey conducted every two years to a continuous operation, with data collected every month throughout each year. That's a big deal. It will enable policymakers to focus on pressing issues such as housing insecurity, the impacts of climate change, accessibility, and the intersection of health and housing."

Key highlights marking 50 years of housing data include:

• In 1973, the total number of housing units in the United States was estimated to be about 76 million, compared to 145.3 million housing units in 2023.
• Of all occupied units, 17% had central air conditioning in 1973 compared to 74% in 2023.
• Of all owner-occupied units, 66% had three or more bedrooms in 1973 compared to 81% in 2023.

Use the AHS Table Creator to access data from today's release. This interactive data tool allows users to create custom tables of housing and demographic estimates for the nation, 25 metropolitan areas, and selected states. Also visit the AHS webpage for more information about today's release.

All comparative statements in this release have undergone statistical testing, and, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons are statistically significant at the 10 percent significance level. More information on confidentiality protection, methodology, sampling and nonsampling error, and definitions is available on the AHS Technical Documentation webpage.

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