Accessing and Using Census Data for Housing Research

Accessing and Using Census Data for Housing Research

Utilizing datasets such as the American Community Survey and American Housing Survey can help policymakers, developers, and more make informed decisions.

On July 31, 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau hosted "Renter, Owner, Investor? Learn More About How to Access Key Housing Data," part of a 2025 webinar series illustrating how to use Census Bureau tools and resources to find data and make housing decisions as a renter, owner, or investor. Facilitated by Krystal Jimerson, training specialist at the Census Bureau, the event featured presentations by Ileana Serrano and Joli Golden, data dissemination specialists at the Census Bureau. Serrano summarized the housing data ecosystem, and Golden demonstrated how to use Census Bureau data tools to access and apply these datasets.

Accessing Decennial Census Data 

The Census Bureau generates housing data through surveys that address specific questions related to population, housing characteristics, and market activity. Serrano explained where Census Bureau datasets originate, who sponsors the data collection, and how to analyze housing data based on timelines and geographic scales. The decennial census, conducted every 10 years, establishes the national baseline with a count of the U.S. population and total number of housing units. The dataset also details the number of family and nonfamily housing units and distinguishes between owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing units. 

The Census Bureau offers several tools through its website, where users can access decennial housing data in tables, charts, and maps. As an example, Serrano pointed to Quick Facts, an application that presents streamlined housing profiles for geographies with populations of 5,000 or more. Visualization tools display Census data spatially, allowing users to view trends across different geographies. For example, the 2020 Population and Housing State Data visualization tool displays the number of housing units, housing unit vacancy rates, and percent change in housing units nationwide. Serrano demonstrated this functionality by selecting a specific state and toggling on the housing unit vacancy rate filter, which allowed her to see vacancy patterns at the county level.  

Demographic Surveys and Housing Data 

The decennial census serves as a reference point for supplemental surveys, which are conducted more frequently and collect more detailed housing data. The American Community Survey (ACS) is the Census Bureau's primary source of updated housing information between decennial counts. Released annually, ACS captures home values, rents, housing costs, utilities, housing age, and occupancy data. Serrano explained that ACS is important for tracking year-to-year changes and understanding current housing conditions at different scales. Golden demonstrated how individuals can use ACS data to answer real-life questions using the example of a hypothetical homebuyer comparing median home values and housing profiles across cities. She emphasized that rather than relying on anecdotal impressions, individuals could use the annual datasets on affordability, housing stock, and cost burden to eliminate unaffordable markets from their housing searches.

Another demographic survey featuring housing data is the American Housing Survey (AHS), which the Census Bureau conducts and HUD sponsors. Serrano described AHS as the "most comprehensive national housing survey in the [United States]." AHS allows analysts to track changes in housing quality, affordability, and accessibility over time. The AHS Table Creator is an interactive tool that allows users to build a custom data table without having to download the data. For example, the tool can filter results by state and by select variables such as disability status and year built to show how housing characteristics differ for California households with people living with a disability. The generated table would also categorize information based on disability type (for example, vision or hearing impairment).  

Economic Housing Data and Market Activity

In addition to the demographic housing surveys, the Census Bureau has economic housing data that capture statistics on construction, housing, materials, and manufacturing. The Building Permits Survey collects national, state, and local statistics on new privately owned residential construction. Serrano explained that this survey tracks housing units authorized by building permits and showed how users can use permit counts and valuation to infer where building activity is increasing or declining. 

The Survey of Construction follows new single-family and multifamily housing units through milestones such as starts and completions. For single-family homes, the survey also tracks sales and prices. These data offer insight into the pace and characteristics of new construction in the country. The Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA) tracks those new construction units and reports how quickly they are rented or sold. SOMA data give insight on market demand, amenities, pricing, and the rate at which new housing is absorbed. 

Data Access

Serrano and Golden emphasized that high-quality housing data is widely and publicly available. Their presentations highlighted that users should not face access barriers to reliable housing data and that accessing those data is a skill rooted in literacy rather than technical specialization. The webinar supported building this skill by demonstrating how navigating multiple datasets support informed decisionmaking through place-based comparisons and analysis across geographic scales.