Median monthly housing costs for renters increased slightly between 2011 and 2013 but decreased for owner-occupants, according to the 2013 American Housing Survey released Oct. 16 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the biennial survey, the median monthly housing costs increased from $845 to $850 between 2011 and 2013 for renters. But for owners, the median monthly housing costs decreased by $74 in that same timeframe. Owners’ median monthly housing costs went from $1,008 in 2011 to $934 in 2013.
The 2013 survey provides detailed information about the housing stock and includes new information about public transportation, disaster preparedness, and neighborhood social life.
Some other highlights from the survey include:
- There were nearly 133 million total housing units in the nation in 2013, which increased by 413,000 since 2011—only 87 percent of the units were occupied;
- There were nearly 2 million homes with severe physical problems, including plumbing, heating, and electrical, and nearly 4 million housing units with moderate physical problems;
- 10.3 percent of households reported seeing signs of cockroaches and 9.1 percent reported evidence of mice within the previous 12 months;
- 20 million households said they use some form of public transportation;
- 40.2 percent of households reported biking or walking to retail, school, work, etc.;
- 56.7 million households have a pet;
- 27.7 percent of households reported that they do not have sufficient funds, about $2,000, for an emergency evacuation; and
- 49.7 percent of households reported that they are very willing to help their neighbors.
