Description

ROOMS reports the number of whole rooms used for living purposes that are contained in the housing unit.

Comparability

In 1960, the form stated, "Count a kitchen as a room but do not count bathrooms." For the 1970-2000 censuses, the ACS, and the PRCS the questionnaire excluded bathrooms, porches, balconies, foyers, halls, or half-rooms. The instructions for the 1970, 1980, and 1990 censuses also excluded kitchenettes, strip or pullman kitchens, utility rooms, and unfinished attics, basements, and other space used for storage.

In the 2008 ACS, the Census Bureau ceased imposing a national topcode of 9 rooms, and there is more detail available.

The Census Bureau released revised data for the 2008 and 2006-8 multiyear ACS in November 2010. The original releases erroneously assigned values of zero rooms for some missing values instead of imputing values for the number of rooms. Please seeACS Errata #54 and #64 for more information about the errors and the revisions.The revised releases correct this error. ROOMS reports these revised values.

We provide ROOMSORIG so that users can analyze the differences in the revisions or replicate previous analyses. However, we recommend that users analyze the revised variable ROOMS in their research.

Universe

Availability

• 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: All samples
• 1960: All samples
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 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: All samples
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

ROOMS (Number of rooms) and BEDROOMS (number of bedrooms)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
Beginning in 2015
If the number of reported rooms (ROOMS) is 1 and the number of reported bedrooms (BEDROOMS) is blank or 1, BEDROOMS will be replaced with 0.
If the number of reported rooms is between 2 and 6, and the number of reported bedrooms is the same number, ROOMS will be replaced with double the original value (for example, if the reported number of rooms is 2, and the reported number of bedrooms is 2, ROOMS will be replaced with 4).
In the following cases, ROOMS and BEDROOMS will be jointly allocated:

• If a unit has between 2 and 6 reported rooms and the number of reported bedrooms is greater than the number of rooms

• If a unit has 7 or 8 reported rooms and the number of bedrooms is greater than 6

• If a unit has between 9 and 13 reported rooms and the number of bedrooms is greater than 8

• If a unit has between 14 and 20 reported rooms and the number of bedrooms is greater than 9

The allocated values will be drawn from another unit with the same building type (UNITSSTR) and in the same geographic unit. The flag variables will indicate that the values are allocated (QBEDROOM, QROOMS)
In the following cases, BEDROOMS will be allocated:

• If the number of reported rooms is 2 or more, and the number of bedrooms is blank

• If the number of reported rooms is 4 or higher, and the number of bedrooms is 0

• If the number of reported rooms is 6, and number of reported bedrooms is 5

• If the number of reported rooms is 7 or 8, and number of reported bedrooms is 1 or 6

• If the number of reported rooms is 9 or 10, and number of reported bedrooms is 1, 7, or 8

• If the number of reported rooms is 11 to 13, and number of reported bedrooms is 1, 2, 7, or 8

• If the number of reported rooms is 14 to 20, and number of reported bedrooms is 1, 2, 7, 8, or 9

The allocated value will be drawn from another unit with the same building type (UNITSSTR), number of rooms, and in the same geographic unit. The flag variable will indicate that the value is allocated (QBEDROOM).
If a unit has more than 20 reported rooms and less than 7 bedrooms or more than 9 bedrooms, BEDROOMS will be replaced with 10 and ROOMS will be replaced with 21.
If the number of rooms is blank, but BEDROOMS is between 0 and 9, ROOMS will be allocated from another unit with the same building type (UNITSSTR), number of bedrooms, and in the same geographic unit. The flag variable will indicate that the value is allocated (QROOMS).
If the number of rooms and bedrooms are both blank or if ROOMS is blank and BEDROOMS is greater than 9, BEDROOMS and ROOMS will be allocated jointly from another unit with the same building type (UNITSSTR) and in the same geographic unit. The flag variables will indicate that the values are allocated (QBEDROOM, QROOMS).
For years 2005-2014
If the reported number of bedrooms (BEDROOMS) inconsistent with the reported number of rooms (ROOMS) in a household, the Census Bureau must decide if the number of rooms should be allocated or the number of bedrooms should be allocated. An inconsistency will occur in two ways. First, this happens when the number of bedrooms is greater than or equal to the number of rooms reported. Second, if the number of bedrooms is too small relative to the total number of rooms reported (0 bedrooms and more than 3 rooms, 1 bedroom and more than 6 rooms).
The number of rooms reported, number of bedrooms reported, and type of building all affect which value will be allocated.
When the number of rooms reported is 5 or more:

• If the number of bedrooms is 5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• If the number of bedrooms is 0, the number of bedrooms will be allocated for most building types. The exception if when the building is a non-traditional house like a boat, RV, or van. In this case, the number of rooms will be allocated.

When the number of rooms reported is 4:

• If the number of bedrooms is 4 or 5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated for most building types. The exception is detached single family homes. In this case, the number of rooms will be allocated.

• If the number of bedrooms is 0, the number of bedrooms will be allocated for most building types. The exception if when the building is a non-traditional house like a boat, RV, or van. In this case, the number of rooms will be allocated.

When the number of rooms reported is 3:

• If the number of bedrooms is 3-5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated for most building types. One exception is detached single family homes. In this case, the number of rooms will be allocated. For attached single family homes, the number of bedrooms will be allocated when the reported number of bedrooms is 5, but rooms will be allocated when reported bedrooms is 3 or 4. For a building with two apartments, the number of bedrooms will be allocated when the reported number of bedrooms is 4 or 5, but rooms will be allocated when reported bedrooms is 3.

When the number of rooms reported is 2:

• For detached single family homes, if the reported number of bedrooms is 2-5, the number of rooms will be allocated.

• For mobile homes, attached single family homes, and buildings with two apartments, if the reported number of bedrooms is 2-4, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the reported number of bedrooms is 5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• For a building with 3-4 apartments, if the reported number of bedrooms is 2-3, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the reported number of bedrooms is 4-5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• For buildings with more than 4 apartments, if the reported number of bedrooms is 2, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the reported number of bedrooms is 3-5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• For a non-traditional house like a boat, RV, or van, if the reported number of bedrooms is 2 or more, bedrooms will be allocated.

When the reported number of rooms is 1:

• For detached single family homes, attached single family homes, and buildings with two apartments, if the number of reported bedrooms is 1-5, the number of rooms will be allocated.

• For mobile homes, if the number of reported bedrooms is 1-5, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the number of reported bedrooms is 5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• For buildings with 3-9 apartments, if the number of reported bedrooms is 1-3, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the number of reported bedrooms is 4-5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• For buildings with more than 9 apartments, if the number of bedrooms is 1-2, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the number of bedrooms is 3-5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

• For a non-traditional home like an RV, van, or boat, if the number of reported bedrooms is 1, the number of rooms will be allocated. If the number of reported bedrooms is 2-5, the number of bedrooms will be allocated.

If the number of rooms (ROOMS) or number of bedrooms (BEDROOMS) are missing, the value will be allocated.
When the number of rooms is allocated, it is from a unit with the same building type (UNITSSTR) and number of bedrooms. When the number of bedrooms is allocated, it is from a unit with the same building type (UNITSSTR) and number of rooms. The flag variables will indicate which values are allocated (QROOMS, QBEDROOM).
If both number of rooms and number of bedrooms are missing, they are allocated jointly from another unit with the same building type. The flag variables will indicate that the values are allocated (QROOMS, QBEDROOM).
Internal ACS variable : RMS BDS