|  
        Table 
        12. Market Absorption of New Rental Units and Median Asking Rent: 1970-Present 
         
         
      
         
          |  
             Period 
            | 
           
             Unfurnished Rental 
              Apartment Completions 
            | 
           
             Percent Rented in 
              3 Months 
            | 
           
             Median Asking Rent 
              
            | 
         
         
          |  
             Annual Data 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1970 
            | 
           
             328,400 
            | 
           
             73 
            | 
           
             $188 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1971 
            | 
           
             334,400 
            | 
           
             68 
            | 
           
             $187 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1972 
            | 
           
             497,900 
            | 
           
             68 
            | 
           
             $191 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1973 
            | 
           
             531,700 
            | 
           
             70 
            | 
           
             $191 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1974 
            | 
           
             405,500 
            | 
           
             68 
            | 
           
             $197 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1975 
            | 
           
             223,100 
            | 
           
             70 
            | 
           
             $211 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1976 
            | 
           
             157,000 
            | 
           
             80 
            | 
           
             $219 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1977 
            | 
           
             195,600 
            | 
           
             80 
            | 
           
             $232 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1978 
            | 
           
             228,700 
            | 
           
             82 
            | 
           
             $251 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1979 
            | 
           
             241,200 
            | 
           
             82 
            | 
           
             $272 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1980 
            | 
           
             196,100 
            | 
           
             75 
            | 
           
             $308 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1981 
            | 
           
             135,400 
            | 
           
             80 
            | 
           
             $347 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1982 
            | 
           
             117,000 
            | 
           
             72 
            | 
           
             $385 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1983 
            | 
           
             191.500 
            | 
           
             69 
            | 
           
             $386 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1984 
            | 
           
             313,200 
            | 
           
             67 
            | 
           
             $393 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1985 
            | 
           
             364,500 
            | 
           
             65 
            | 
           
             $432 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1986 
            | 
           
             407,600 
            | 
           
             66 
            | 
           
             $457 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1987 
            | 
           
             345,600 
            | 
           
             63 
            | 
           
             $517 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1988 
            | 
           
             284,500 
            | 
           
             66 
            | 
           
             $550 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1989 
            | 
           
             246,200 
            | 
           
             70 
            | 
           
             $590 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1990 
            | 
           
             214,300 
            | 
           
             67 
            | 
           
             $600 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1991 
            | 
           
             165,300 
            | 
           
             70 
            | 
           
             $614 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1992 
            | 
           
             110,200 
            | 
           
             74 
            | 
           
             $586 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1993 
            | 
           
             77,200 
            | 
           
             75 
            | 
           
             $573 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1994 
            | 
           
             104,000 
            | 
           
             81 
            | 
           
             $576 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1995 
            | 
           
             155,000 
            | 
           
             72 
            | 
           
             $655 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1996 
            | 
           
             191,300 
            | 
           
             72 
            | 
           
             $672 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1997 
            | 
           
             189,200 
            | 
           
             74 
            | 
           
             $724 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1998 
            | 
           
             209,900 
            | 
           
             73 
            | 
           
             $734 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             1999 
            | 
           
             225,900 
            | 
           
             72 
            | 
           
             $791 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             2000 
            | 
           
             226,200 
            | 
           
             72 
            | 
           
             $841 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             Quarterly Data 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             2000 
            | 
           
               
           | 
         
         
          |  
             1st Quarter 
            | 
           
             49,700 
            | 
           
             73 
            | 
           
             $797 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             2nd Quarter 
            | 
           
             56,700 
            | 
           
             73 
            | 
           
             $872 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             3rd Quarter 
            | 
           
             65,800 
            | 
           
             73 
            | 
           
             $839 
            | 
         
         
          |  
             4th Quarter 
            | 
           
             54,100 
            | 
           
             67 
            | 
           
             $864 
            | 
         
         
          |  
               
           | 
         
         
          |  
             2001 
            | 
           
               
           | 
         
         
          |  
             1st Quarter 
            | 
           
             43,500 
            | 
           
             66 
            | 
           
             $889 
            | 
         
       
      Sources: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce; 
        and Office of Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and 
        Urban Development 
         
        http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/soma.html 
     |