Description

MORTGAG2 indicates whether owner-occupied housing units with a first mortgage were encumbered by a second mortgage or home equity loan.

Comparability

Along with differences in the universe (see MORTGAGE), the question wording and degree of detail changed over time. The 1980 census asked about a second mortgage. The 1990 census asked about a second mortgage or home equity loan, but retained the dichotomous codes of 1980. The 2000 census distinguished between "no," "second mortgage," "home equity loan," and "both second mortgage and home equity loan." The ACS and PRCS forms allowed respondents to report both a second mortgage and a home equity loan, but the ACS and PRCS PUMS included only "yes" and "no" responses for second mortgage status.

Beginning in 1990, if respondents indicated that they had a second mortgage but no first mortgage, the Census Bureau altered their response to say that they did have a first mortgage and changed their response for this variable to "No."

In 2021, the lowest value for this variable was changed from 1 to 0 to allow for a home equity loan to have no current payments.

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: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 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: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 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: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 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: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

MORTGAG2 and MORTAMT2 (Second mortgage and Second mortgage monthly payment)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
If the value for having a second mortgage (MORTGAG2) for an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a first mortgage (MORTGAGE) is "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value", but the amount of the second mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) is between 1 and 99,999, the value of MORTGAG2 will be allocated as "Yes, Home equity loan."
If an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a first mortgage (MORTGAGE) reports not having a second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAG2) or has a missing value (and it wasn't allocated in the first step), but the amount of the second mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) is between 1 and 99,999, the value of MORTGAG2 will be allocated as "Yes, second mortgage."
If the value for having a second mortgage (MORTGAG2) for an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a first mortgage (MORTGAGE) is "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value", and the amount of the second mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) is either 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value", the value of MORTGAG2 will be allocated as "No." MORTAMT2 will be replaced with a missing value.
If the reported second mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) for an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a mortgage (MORTGAGE) and a second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAG2) is "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value", MORTAMT2 will be allocated. The allocated value is the MORTAMT2 value from another owner-occupied unit of the same type of building (UNITSSTR, which shows if a building is a mobile home, detached single family, or attached single family), similar value (VALUEH), that has a second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAG2). When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QMORTAM2).
After the previous steps, if the value for having a second mortgage (MORTGAG2) for an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a first mortgage (MORTGAGE) is still "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value", it will be allocated as a "No."
If a unit that is renter-occupied (OWNERSHP), does not have a mortgage (MORTGAGE) or is vacant (VACANCY) has a value for MORTGAG2 or MORTAMT2, it will be changed to "Not in universe."
If the reported mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) for an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAG2) is too high relative to the value of the property (VALUEH), MORTAMT2 will be allocated. The allocated value is the MORTAMT2 value from another owner-occupied unit of the same type of building (UNITSSTR, which shows if a building is a mobile home, detached single family, or attached single family), similar value (VALUEH), 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 (QMORTAM2).
If the reported mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) for an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) with a second mortgage (MORTGAG2) is 0 or blank, it will be allocated. The allocated value is the MORTAMT2 value from another unit with the same type of building (UNITSSTR), similar value (VALUEH), 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 (QMORTAM2).
If an owner-occupied unit (OWNERSHP) does not have a second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAG2) but the reported mortgage payment (MORTAMT2) is non-missing, it will be replaced with a missing value.
Internal ACS variable : SM and SMX