Description

OWNERSHP indicates whether the housing unit was rented or owned by its inhabitants. Housing units acquired with a mortgage or other lending arrangement(s) are classified as "owned," even if repayment was not yet completed.

Comparability

This variable is essentially comparable across years and samples, though some years offer more detail than others.

In 1910 (U.S. census), some enumerators simply entered a check mark in response to the census question, "Home owned or rented?" These responses are coded separately, since it is not clear what the check mark signifies. The makers of the original 1910 PUMS sample (which has a SAMP1910 value of "5" in the 1910 Weighted sample) interpreted a check mark as "owns."

For the 1960-2010 censuses, the ACS and the PRCS, responses distinguish between renters who pay cash rent and those who do not. Beginning in 1990, responses also distinguish between homes "owned free and clear" and those "owned with a mortgage or loan." The more precise wording was intended to clarify the concept of ownership, after a post-1980 study by the Census Bureau revealed that some respondents with a mortgage hadn't reported themselves as owners. The MORTGAGE variable also indicates whether owner-occupied housing units are owned free and clear or are encumbered by a mortgage or loan.

The forms for the 1970-1990 censuses specified that units should be considered owned even if they are resting on leased land (for example, mobile trailers in some parks). The 2000 and 2010 census, the ACS and the PRCS asked about ownership of mobile homes as well as houses and apartments.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: All samples
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1960: All samples
• 1950: --
• 1940: All samples
• 1930: All samples
• 1920: All samples
• 1910: All samples
• 1900: All samples
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: All samples
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1930: All samples
• 1920: All samples
• 1910: All samples

Flags

Editing Procedure

OWNERSHP (Ownership of dwelling (tenure))
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that they own their unit with a mortgage (OWNERSHP), but then reports not having either a first or second mortgage (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be changed to "Owned free and clear." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that they own their unit free and clear (OWNERSHP), but then reports having either a first or second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be changed to "Owned with a mortgage." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is rented for cash or no cash rent (OWNERSHP), but the reported rent is 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value" (RENT), there is a positive value on the property value (VALUEH), and they report having a first or second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAGE, MORTAMT1, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH). In a similar case, if a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is rented for cash or not for cash (OWNERSHP), but the reported rent is 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value" (RENT), and they report having a first mortgage with a positive value for the monthly payment (MORTGAGE, MORTAMT1), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage" even when the property value is 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value" (VALUEH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is rented for no cash rent (OWNERSHP), but the reported rent is positive (RENT), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Rented for cash." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is owner, but is not specific about if they have a mortgage (OWNERSHP), but they do then report having a mortgage, second mortgage or home equity loan, or a positive value on the mortgage payment (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage." If these variables are all 0 or ""Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value", OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned free and clear." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP, but does report a positive value for RENT, OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Rented for cash." If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP, but reports having a first mortgage or second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage." If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP and reports not having any form of mortgage (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with
"Owned free and clear." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP, does not report have a mortgage or second mortgage or home equity loan and hasn't yet been allocated a value, it will be allocated from another unit with the same type of building (UNITSSTR, which shows if a building is a mobile home, detached single family, or attached single family) and in the same geographic unit (it is not specified what level of geography is used). When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
Internal ACS variable : TEN