HVS: Q3 2021 Homeownership and Vacancy Rates
by Calculated Risk on 11/02/2021 10:14:00 AM
The Census Bureau released the Residential Vacancies and Homeownership report for Q2 2021.
The results of this survey were significantly distorted by the pandemic in 2020.
This survey might show the trend, but I wouldn’t rely on the absolute numbers. Analysts probably shouldn’t use the HVS to estimate the excess vacant supply or household formation, or rely on the homeownership rate, except as a guide to the trend.
homeowner housing. The rental vacancy rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the rate in the third
quarter 2020 (6.4 percent) and 0.4 percentage points lower than the rate in the second quarter 2021 (6.2
percent).
The homeowner vacancy rate of 0.86 percent was lower than the rate in the third quarter 2020 (0.95 percent)
and virtually the same as the rate in the second quarter 2021 (0.86 percent). (Note: the 0.86 percent and the
0.95 percent each round to 0.9 percent in the tables below).
The homeownership rate of 65.4 percent was 2.0 percentage points lower than the rate in the third quarter
2020 (67.4 percent) and virtually the same as the rate in the second quarter 2021 (65.4 percent). “
emphasis added
Click on graph for larger image.
The Red dots are the decennial Census homeownership rates for April 1st 1990, 2000 and 2010. The Census Bureau will released data for 2020 soon.