A Drop to a 66.9% Rate in Homeownership

Homeownership Rates

The second quarter 2010 homeownership rate of 66.9% was 0.5% lower than the second quarter 2009 rate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The rate was 0.2% lower than last quarter's rate of 67.1%.

Homeownership rates were the highest in the Midwest, at 70.8%. They were lowest in the West at 61.4% for the second quarter 2010. The rates for the South (69.1%) were also lower than a year ago, while the Northeast (64.2%) and Midwest (70.8%) were not different from their 2009 rates.

These rates were highest for housesholders ages 65-years and over, at 80.4%, and lowest for individuals under 35 years at 39%.

Homeowner Vacancy Rates

In the second quarter 2010, the homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%. This rate was the same as the second quarter 2009 rate of 2.5 percent and 0.1% lower than the rate last quarter (2.6%), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Northeast had the lowest homeowner vacancy rate (1.4%). The 2010 Northeast vacancy rate was lower than the second quarter rate. Rates in the other regions were not particularly different from a year ago.

85.6% of the housing units in the United States in the second quarter 2010 were occupied and 14.4% were vacant. Owner-occupied homes took up 57.3% of the total housing units, while renter-occupied units made up 28.3% of the inventory in the second quarter 2010.

For more information, see the Housing Vacancies and Homeownership information from the U.S. Census Bureau.