Definitions

Age.

Broadband Subscription.

Household who has a broadband subscription. No broadband includes households with only dial-up subscription and those with no subscription at all. (American Community Survey)

Class of Worker.

Categorizes people according to the type of ownership of the employing organization. These categories are: 1) an employee of a private, for-profit company or business, or of an individual, for wages, salary, or commissions; 2) an employee of a private, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, or charitable organization; 3) a local government employee (city, county, etc.); 4) a state government employee; 5) a federal government employee; 6) self-employed in own not incorporated business, professional practice, or farm; 7) self-employed in own incorporated business, professional practice, or farm; 8) working without pay in a family business or farm. (American Community Survey)

Conventional Loan Application.

Loan granted, applied for, or purchased was conventional, not government-guaranteed or government-insured. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Earnings.

Wages/salaried income and net income from self-employment before deductions (social security, 401K, etc.) are removed. (American Community Survey)¹

Educational Attainment.

Highest degree or level of school completed. Educational attainment data is tabulated for people 18 years old and over. Respondents are classified according to the highest degree received or the highest level of school completed.

High School Graduate. This educational attainment level includes all persons who have a high school diploma or its equivalent. People who reported completing the 12th grade but not receiving a diploma are not included.

College Graduate. This educational attainment level includes people who have received a full four-year college, university, or professional degree.

Not Enrolled. This category includes people of compulsory school attendance age or above who were not enrolled in school and were not high school graduates. These people may be referred to as “high school dropouts.” There is no restriction on when they “dropped out” of school; therefore, they may have dropped out before high school and never attended high school. (American Community Survey)

Employed Persons.

Persons 16 years and over who are employed. Employed persons includes the civilian noninstitutional population who, during the reference week, (a) did any work at all (at least one hour) as paid employees; worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in an enterprise operated by a member of the family; and (b) all those who were not working but who had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent because of vacation, illness, bad weather, childcare problems, maternity or paternity leave, labor-management dispute, job training, or other family or personal reasons, whether or not they were paid for the time off or were seeking other jobs. Each employed person is counted only once, even if he or she holds more than one job. Excluded are persons whose only activity consisted of work around their own house (painting, repairing, or own home housework) or volunteer work for religious, charitable, and other organizations. (Bureau of Labor Statistics LAUS)

Family Household (Family).

A householder and one or more people living in the same household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. All people in a household who are related to the householder are regarded as members of his or her family. A family household may contain people not related to the householder, but those people are not included as part of the householder’s family in census tabulations. Thus, the number of family households is equal to the number of families, but family households may include more members than do families. A household can contain only one family for purposes of census tabulations. Not all households contain families since a household may be comprised of a group of unrelated people or one person living alone – these are called nonfamily households. Same-sex unmarried partner households are included in the family households category only if there is at least one additional person related to the householder by birth or adoption. (Census of Population and Housing)

Grandparents as Caregivers.

A grandparent has responsibility for the basic needs of the grandchild, and the duration of that responsibility. (American Community Survey)

Gross Rent.

Contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities and fuels if these are paid by the renter, or paid for the renter by someone else. Gross rent is intended to eliminate differentials that result from varying practices with respect to the inclusion of utilities and fuels as part of the rental payment. (American Community Survey)

Higher-priced mortgage loan.

Consumer credit transaction secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling with an annual percentage rate that exceeds the average prime offer rate for a comparable transaction as of the date the interest rate is set by 1.5 or more percentage points for loans secured by a first lien on a dwelling, or by 3.5 or more percentage points for loans secured by a subordinate lien on a dwelling. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act /Section 226.35(a) of Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z))

Hispanic or Latino.

Those who classify themselves in one of the specific Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish categories listed on the questionnaire (“Mexican,” “Puerto Rican,” or “Cuban”) as well as those who indicate that they are of “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.” People who do not identify with one of the specific origins listed on the questionnaire but indicate that they are of “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin” are those whose origins are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking countries of Central or South America, or the Dominican Republic. Up to two write-in responses to the “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin” category are coded. Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of any race. (Census of Population and Housing)

Home Improvement Loan.

Any dwelling-secured loan to be used, at least in part, for repairing, rehabilitating, remodeling, or improving a dwelling or the real property on which the dwelling is located, and any non-dwelling-secured loan that is to be used, at least in part, for one or more of those purposes and that is classified as a home improvement loan by the lending institution. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Homeless.

A person experiencing homelessness lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. (HUD’s Point-in-Time Count and Housing Inventory Count)

Home Purchase Loan.

Any loan secured by and made for the purpose of purchasing a dwelling. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Home Refinance Loan.

Any dwelling-secured loan that replaces and satisfies another dwelling-secured loan to the same borrower. The purpose of the loan being refinanced is not relevant to determining whether the new loan is a refinancing for HMDA purposes. Nor is the borrower’s intended use of any additional cash borrowed relevant to determining whether the loan is a refinancing, though the borrower’s intended use of the funds could make the transaction a home improvement loan or a home purchase loan. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

House Heating Fuel.

The type of fuel used most to heat the house, apartment, or mobile home. House heating fuel provides information on energy supply and consumption. Heating fuel is categorized on the ACS questionnaire as follows: utility gas; bottled, tank, or LP gas; electricity; fuel oil, kerosene; coal or coke; wood; solar energy; other fuel; no fuel used. (American Community Survey)

Household.

Includes all people who occupy a housing unit, including the householder, occupants related to the householder, and lodgers, roomers, boarders. (American Community Survey/Census of Population and Housing)

Housing Cost Burden. Measure of housing costs as a percentage of income.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has defined moderate cost burdens as those between 30 percent and 50 percent of income, and severe cost burdens as those above 50 percent of income. Percent of income paid for housing is, at best, a rough measure of affordability, but its use has become widespread for several reasons. First, it is relatively simple to grasp and to calculate. Second, 30 percent of income has become the standard that housing subsidy programs require households to pay when living in subsidized housing.

Data for monthly housing costs as a percentage of household income is developed from a distribution of “Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income” for owner-occupied and “Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income” for renter-occupied units. The owner-occupied categories are further separated into those with a mortgage and those without a mortgage. (American Community Survey)

Housing Unit.

A house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or, if vacant, intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live separately from any other individuals in the building and which have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall. For vacant units, the criteria of separateness and direct access are applied to the intended occupants whenever possible. If that information cannot be obtained, the criteria are applied to the previous occupants. Both occupied and vacant housing units are included in the housing unit inventory. (American Community Survey/Census of Population and Housing)

HUD Housing Choice Vouchers.

Number of vouchers that are issued to households in each geography.² (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

HUD Project-Based Vouchers.

Number of project-based vouchers that are associated with properties in each geography. These vouchers are attached to specific units whose landlords contract with the state or local public housing agency to rent the units to families and individuals with low incomes. (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

HUD Public Housing.

Total number of units (occupied and vacant) in the public housing program for a given geography. Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single-family houses to high rise apartments for elderly families. (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

HUD Section 202.

Number of subsidized housing units that participated in the Section 202 program, which provides funds to nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives for the “construction, rehabilitation or acquisition with or without rehabilitation of structures that will serve as supportive housing for very low-income elderly persons, including the frail elderly, and provides rent subsidies for the projects to help make them affordable.” (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

HUD Section 236.

Number of subsidized housing units that participated in the Section 236 program, which combines federal mortgage insurance with interest reduction payments to the mortgagee for the production of low-cost rental housing. (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

HUD Section 811.

Number of subsidized housing units that are part of the Section 811 housing program, which provides funds to nonprofit developers to build housing for people with disabilities and project rental assistance to state agencies. It also “provides funding to develop and subsidize rental housing with the availability of supportive services for very low- and extremely low-income adults with disabilities.” (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

Income.

Sum of the amounts reported separately for wage or salary income; net self-employment income; interest, dividends, or net rental or royalty income or income from estates and trusts; Social Security or railroad retirement income; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); public assistance or welfare payments; retirement, survivor, or disability pensions; and all other income. Income is only calculated for persons aged 15 and over. Receipts from the following sources are not included as income: capital gains, money received from the sale of property (unless the recipient was engaged in the business of selling such property); the value of income “in kind” from food stamps, public housing subsidies, medical care, employer contributions for individuals, etc.; withdrawal of bank deposits; money borrowed; tax refunds; exchange of money between relatives living in the same household; gifts and lump-sum inheritances, insurance payments, and other types of lump-sum receipts. (American Community Survey)

Income of Household.

Includes the income of the householder and all other individuals 15 years old and over in the household, whether they are related to the householder or not. Although the household income statistics cover the past 12 months, they are characteristics of individuals and the composition of households at the time of interview. (American Community Survey)

Industry.

Type of business conducted by a person’s employing organization. These questions were asked for all people 15 years old and over who had worked in the past five years. For employed people, the data refers to the person’s job during the previous week. For those who worked two or more jobs, the data refers to the job where the person worked the greatest number of hours. For unemployed people and people who are not currently employed but report having a job within the last five years, the data refers to their last job. (American Community Survey)

Kitchen Facilities.

A unit has complete kitchen facilities when it has all three of the following facilities: (1) a sink with a faucet, (2) a stove or range, and (3) a refrigerator. All kitchen facilities must be located in the house, apartment, or mobile home, but they need not be in the same room. A housing unit having only a microwave or portable heating equipment such as a hot plate or camping stove is not considered as having complete kitchen facilities. An icebox is not considered to be a refrigerator. (American Community Survey)

Labor Force.

Sum of employed and unemployed persons. The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS)

Loan Application.

Mortgage loan applications reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. HMDA applications are bank-reported records with one of the following actions taken: origination, approved but not accepted, denied, application withdrawn by applicant, or file closed for incompleteness. All loan purchases (loans one bank buys from another institution) and preapproval requests (those which do not become applications) are removed. The approach is designed to consider only home loan records that result in an application and is the method the CFPB employs in its reviews of HMDA data. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Loan Denial.

Loan application was denied by the financial institution. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Loan Origination.

Loan application was originated by the financial institution. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Loan Purpose.

Indicates whether the purpose of the loan or application was for home purchase, home improvement, refinancing, or reverse mortgage (beginning in 2018 this data is available). (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Loan Type.

Indicates whether the loan granted, applied for, or purchased was conventional, government-guaranteed, or government-insured. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Manufactured/Mobile Home.

A factory-built housing unit that was originally constructed to be towed to the construction site on its own chassis. Manufactured/mobile homes in which one or more permanent rooms have been added are classified as a detached single-family home and not a manufactured/mobile home. (American Community Survey)

Married-Couple Family.

A family in which the householder and their spouse are listed as members of the same household.⁷ (Census of Population and Housing)

Marital Status.

Status of the person at the time of interview. People 15 and over were asked whether they were “now married,” “widowed,” “divorced,” “separated,” or “never married.” People in common-law marriages were allowed to report the marital status they considered the most appropriate. Differences in the number of married males and females occur because there is no step in the weighting process to equalize the weighted estimates of husbands and wives. (American Community Survey)

Median Age.

The age classification is based on the age of the person in complete years at the time of interview. Both age and date of birth are used in combination to calculate the most accurate age at the time of the interview. The median age is the age that divides the population into two equal-size groups. Half of the population is older than the median age and half is younger. Median age is based on a standard distribution of the population by single years of age and is shown to the nearest tenth of a year. (American Community Survey/Census of Population and Housing)

Median Home Value.

Home value is the respondent’s estimate of how much the property (house and lot, mobile home and lot, or condominium unit) would sell for if it were for sale. If the house or mobile home was owned or being bought, but the land on which it sits was not, the respondent was asked to estimate the combined value of the house or mobile home and the land. For vacant units, value was the price asked for the property. Value was tabulated separately for all owner-occupied and vacant-for-sale housing units, as well as owner-occupied and vacant-for-sale mobile homes. The median divides the value distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median value of the property and one-half above the median. (American Community Survey)

Mortgage Status.

All forms of debt where an owner-occupied property is pledged as security for repayment of the debt, including deeds of trust, trust deeds, contracts to purchase, land contracts, junior mortgages, and home equity loans. A mortgage is considered a first mortgage if it has prior claim over any other mortgage or if it is the only mortgage on the property. All other mortgages (second, third, etc.) are considered junior mortgages. A home equity loan is generally a junior mortgage. If no first mortgage is reported, but a junior mortgage or home equity loan is reported, then the loan is considered a first mortgage. In most data products, the tabulations for “Selected Monthly Owner Costs” and “Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income” usually are shown separately from units “with a mortgage” and for units “not mortgaged.” The category “not mortgaged” is comprised of housing units owned free and clear of debt. (American Community Survey)

Occupants per Room/Household Crowding.

Obtained by dividing the number of people in each occupied housing unit by the number of rooms in the unit. Although the Census Bureau has no official definition of crowded units, many users consider units with more than one occupant per room to be crowded. Rural Data Central considers crowded units to be those with more than one occupant per room. (American Community Survey)

Occupation.

Type of work a person does on the job. These questions were asked for all people 15 years old and over who had worked in the past five years. For employed people, the data refers to the person’s job during the previous week. For those who worked two or more jobs, the data refers to the job where the person worked the greatest number of hours. For unemployed people and people who are not currently employed but report having a job within the last five years, the data refers to their last job. (American Community Survey)

Occupied Housing Unit.

A housing unit is classified as occupied if it is the current place of residence of the person or group of people living in it at the time of interview, or if the occupants are only temporarily absent from the residence for two months or less, that is, away on vacation or a business trip. If all the people staying in the unit at the time of the interview are staying there for two months or less, the unit is considered to be temporarily occupied and classified as “vacant.” The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group of related or unrelated people who share living quarters. The living quarters occupied by staff personnel within any group quarters are separate housing units if they satisfy the housing unit criteria of separateness and direct access; otherwise, they are considered group quarters. (American Community Survey/Census of Population and Housing)

Open-end Home Loan.

A loan secured by the home for which the principal amount of the loan can be increased using the same property as collateral. For comparison, a closed-end loan is a loan for a set amount. (All HMDA loan activity reflects closed-end loans unless otherwise stated.) Beginning in 2018, HMDA mandates the reporting of open-end loans by lenders that reach a certain threshold of activity. (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

Owner-Occupied Housing Unit.

A housing unit is owner-occupied if the owner or co-owner lives in the unit even if it is mortgaged or not fully paid for. The unit is “owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan” if it is being purchased with a mortgage or some other debt arrangement such as a deed of trust, trust deed, contract to purchase, land contract, or purchase agreement. The unit also is considered owned with a mortgage if it is built on leased land and there is a mortgage on the unit. Mobile homes occupied by owners with installment loan balances also are included in this category.

A housing unit is “owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)” if there is no mortgage or other similar debt on the house, apartment, or mobile home including units built on leased land if the unit is owned outright without a mortgage. (American Community Survey/Census of Population and Housing)

Place of Birth/Nativity.

Information on place of birth and citizenship status is used to classify the population into two major categories: native and foreign born. Place of birth includes further specification about state of birth (within the United States) or foreign country, or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc. of birth (outside the U.S.). People born outside the United States were asked to report their place of birth according to current international boundaries. (American Community Survey)

Plumbing Facilities.

Complete plumbing facilities include: (1) hot and cold running water, (2) a flush toilet, and (3) a bathtub or shower. All three facilities must be located inside the house, apartment, or mobile home, but not necessarily in the same room. Housing units are classified as lacking complete plumbing facilities when any of the three facilities is not present. (American Community Survey).

Population.

All people, living in a given geographic area. (Census of Population and Housing/American Community Survey)

Population Change.

Change in population that occurred over the previous ten-year period. For example, population change for the 2020 decennial census count captured population change between the 2010 and 2020 decennial census population counts. (Census of Population and Housing/American Community Survey)

Poverty.

Poverty statistics calculated in the ACS adhere to the standards specified by the Office of Management and Budget in Statistical Policy Directive 14. The Census Bureau uses a set of dollar value thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. Further, poverty thresholds for people living alone or with nonrelatives (unrelated individuals) vary by age (under 65 years or 65 years and older). The poverty thresholds for two-person families also vary by the age of the householder. If a family’s total income is less than the dollar value of the poverty threshold, then that family and every individual in it are considered to be in poverty. Similarly, if an unrelated individual’s total income is less than the appropriate threshold, then that individual is considered to be in poverty. (American Community Survey)

Poverty Status.

Determined for all people except institutionalized people, people in military group quarters, people in college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years old. (American Community Survey)

Race and Ethnicity.

The Census Bureau collects race data in accordance with guidelines provided by OMB, and this data is based on self-identification. The racial categories included in the 2020 Decennial Census questionnaire generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country, and not an attempt to define race biologically, anthropologically, or genetically. In addition, it is recognized that the categories of the race item include racial and national origin or socio-cultural groups. People may choose to report more than one race to indicate their racial mixture, such as “American Indian” and “White.” People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of any race.

The racial classifications used by the Census Bureau adhere to standards issued by OMB in 1997, which govern the categories used to collect and present federal data on race and ethnicity. OMB requires five minimum categories (White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander) for race. The race categories are described below with a sixth category, “Some other race,” added with OMB approval. In addition to the five race groups, OMB also states that respondents should be offered the option of selecting one or more races.

If an individual did not provide a race response, the race or races of the householder or other household members were assigned using specific rules of precedence of household relationship. For example, if race was missing for a child in the household, then either the race or races of the householder, another child, or the spouse of the householder were assigned. If race was not reported for anyone in the household, the race or races of a householder in a previously processed household were assigned. (Census of Population and Housing)

White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as “White” or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish.

Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as “Black, African American, or Negro,” or provide written entries such as African American, Afro-American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian.

American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. It includes people who classified themselves as described below:

• American Indian Tribe or Alaska Native. Respondents who identified themselves as “American Indian or Alaska Native” were asked to report their enrolled or principal tribe. Therefore, tribal data in tabulations reflect the entries reported on the questionnaires. Some of the entries (for example, Metlakatla Indian Community and Umatilla) represent reservations or a confederation of tribes on a reservation. The information on tribe is based on self-identification and therefore does not reflect any designation of federally or state-recognized tribe. The information for the 2020 Census was updated from 2010 to 2020 based on the annual Federal Register notice entitled “Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs,” Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, issued by OMB, and through consultation with American Indian and Alaska Native communities and leaders.

Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. It includes “Asian Indian,” “Chinese,” “Filipino,” “Korean,” “Japanese,” “Vietnamese,” and “Other Asian.”

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. It includes people who indicate their race as “Native Hawaiian,” “Guamanian or Chamorro,” “Samoan,” and “Other Pacific Islander.”

Some Other Race – Includes all other responses not included in the “White,” “Black or African American,” “American Indian or Alaska Native,” “Asian,” and “Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander” race categories described above. Respondents providing write-in entries such as multiracial, mixed, interracial, or a Hispanic/Latino group (for example, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban) in the “Some other race” write-in space are included in this category.

Two or More Races – People may have chosen to provide two or more races either by checking two or more race response check boxes, by providing multiple responses, or by some combination of check boxes and write-in responses. The race response categories shown on the questionnaire are collapsed into the five minimum races identified by the OMB, and the Census Bureau’s “Some other race” category. For data product purposes, “Two or More Races” refers to combinations of two or more of the following race categories:

1. White
2. Black or African American
3. American Indian and Alaska Native
4. Asian
5. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
6. Some other race

There are 57 possible combinations involving the race categories shown above. Thus, according to this approach, a response of “White” and “Asian” was tallied as two or more races, while a response of “Japanese” and “Chinese” was not because “Japanese” and “Chinese” are both Asian responses. (Census of Population and Housing)

Renter-Occupied Housing Unit.

An occupied housing unit that is not owner-occupied, whether it is rented or occupied without payment of rent. “No rent paid” units are separately identified in the rent tabulations. Such units are generally provided free by friends or relatives or in exchange for services such as resident manager, caretaker, minister, or tenant farmer. Housing units on military bases also are classified in the “no rent paid” category. (American Community Survey/Census of Population and Housing)

Rooms.

The number of total rooms in a housing unit. Statistics on rooms are presented in terms of the number of housing units with a specified number of rooms. The intent of this question is to count the number of whole rooms used for living purposes. For each unit, rooms include living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, finished recreation rooms, enclosed porches suitable for year-around use, and lodgers’ rooms. Excluded are strip or Pullman kitchens, bathrooms, open porches, balconies, halls or foyers, half-rooms, utility rooms, unfinished attics or basements, or other unfinished space used for storage. A partially divided room is a separate room only if there is a partition from floor to ceiling but not if the partition consists solely of shelves or cabinets. Rooms provide the basis for estimating the amount of living and sleeping spaces within a housing unit. (American Community Survey)

Seasonal, Recreational, or Occasional Use Homes.

Vacant housing units used or intended for use only in certain seasons or for weekends or other occasional use throughout the year. Seasonal units include those used for summer or winter sports or recreation, such as beach cottages and hunting cabins. Seasonal units also may include quarters for such workers as herders and loggers. (Census of Population and Housing)

Selected Monthly Owner Costs.

Sum of payments for mortgages, deeds of trust, contracts to purchase, or similar debts on the property (including payments for the first mortgage, second mortgage, home equity loan, and other junior mortgages); real estate taxes; fire, hazard, and flood insurance on property; utilities; and fuels. It also includes, where appropriate, the monthly condominium fee for condominiums and mobile home costs. (American Community Survey)

Sex.

A person’s biological sex. (Census of Population and Housing)

Sheltered Homelessness.

People experiencing sheltered homelessness stay in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens. (HUD’s Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory)

Telephone.

A telephone in working order and service available in the house, apartment, or mobile home that allows the respondent to both make and receive calls. Households whose service has been discontinued for nonpayment or other reasons are noted as having telephone service available. In 2008 the instruction “Include cell phones” was added. (American Community Survey)

Unemployed Persons.

Persons aged 16 years and older who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the four-week period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS)

Unemployment Rate.

Represents the number unemployed persons as a percent of the labor force. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS)

Units in Structure.

A structure is a separate building that either has open spaces on all sides or is separated from other structures by dividing walls that extend from ground to roof. In determining the number of units in a structure, all housing units, both occupied and vacant, are counted. Stores and office space are excluded. The data is presented for the number of housing units in structures of specified type and size, not for the number of residential buildings. The units in structure provides information on the housing inventory by subdividing the inventory into one-family homes, apartments, and mobile homes. When the data is used in conjunction with tenure, year structure built, and income, units in structure serves as the basic identifier of housing used in many federal programs. Structure type is determined for occupied and vacant housing units. (American Community Survey)

1-Unit, Detached – This is a one-unit structure detached from any other house, that is, with open space on all four sides. Such structures are considered detached even if they have an adjoining shed or garage. A one-family house that contains a business is considered detached as long as the building has open space on all four sides. Mobile homes to which one or more permanent rooms have been added or built also are included.

1-Unit, Attached – This is a one-unit structure that has one or more walls extending from ground to roof separating it from adjoining structures. In row houses (sometimes called townhouses), double houses, or houses attached to nonresidential structures, each house is a separate, attached structure if the dividing or common wall goes from ground to roof.

2 or More Apartments – These are units in structures containing two or more housing units, further categorized as units in structures with two, three or four, five to nine, 10 to 19, 20 to 49, and 50 or more apartments.

Mobile Home – Both occupied and vacant mobile homes to which no permanent rooms have been added are counted in this category. Mobile homes used only for business purposes or for extra sleeping space and mobile homes for sale on a dealer’s lot, at the factory, or in storage are noted in the housing inventory.

Boat, RV, Van, Etc. – This category is for any living quarters occupied as a housing unit that does not fit the previous categories. Examples that fit this category are houseboats, railroad cars, campers, and vans. Recreational vehicles, boats, vans, tents, railroad cars, and the like are included only if they are occupied as someone's current place of residence.

Unsheltered Homelessness.

People whose primary nighttime location is a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people (for example, the streets, vehicles, or parks). (HUD’s Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory)

USDA Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) Grants.

Cumulative number of Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) demonstration program grants, which restructure loans for existing Section 515 rental housing and Section 514 off-farm labor housing properties to help improve and preserve the availability of safe affordable rental housing for low-income residents for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) Grant Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for MPR grants, which restructure loans for existing Section 515 rental housing and Section 514 off-farm labor housing properties to help improve and preserve the availability of safe affordable rental housing for low-income residents for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) Loans.

Cumulative number of MPR loans, which restructure loans for Section 515 rental housing and Section 514 off-farm labor housing properties to help improve and preserve the availability of safe affordable rental housing for low-income residents for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for MPR loans, which restructure loans for existing Section 515 rental housing and Section 514 off-farm labor housing properties to help improve and preserve the availability of safe affordable rental housing for low-income residents for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 306 Water and Waste Disposal Grants.

Cumulative number of Section 306 grants to provide water and waste disposal facilities and services to low-income rural communities for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 306 Water and Waste Disposal Grant Obligations.

Amount obligated for Section 306 grants to provide water and waste disposal facilities and services to low-income rural communities for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Direct Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 502 direct loans for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Direct Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 502 direct loans for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Direct Loans Low.

Cumulative number of Section 502 direct loans for low-income (50-80 percent of area median income) households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Direct Loan Low Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 502 direct loans for low-income (50-80 percent of AMI) households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Direct Loans Very Low.

Cumulative number of Section 502 direct loans for very low-income (incomes below 50 percent of AMI) households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Direct Loan Very Low Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 502 direct loans for very low-income (incomes below 50 percent of AMI) households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 502 guaranteed loans for households with incomes below 115 percent of AMI for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 502 guaranteed loans for households with incomes below 115 percent of AMI for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 504 Repair and Rehabilitation Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 504 loans to repair dwellings for low- and very low-income households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 504 Repair and Rehabilitation Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 504 loans to repair dwellings for low- and very low-income households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 504 Repair and Rehabilitation Grants.

Cumulative number of Section 504 grants to repair dwellings for low- and very low-income households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 504 Repair and Rehabilitation Grant Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 504 grants to repair dwellings for low- and very low-income households for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 509 Compensation for Construction Defects.

Cumulative number of housing units receiving Section 509 compensation for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 509 Compensation for Construction Defect Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 509 compensation for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 514 Farm Labor Housing Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 514 loans to develop on-farm and off-farm housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 514 Farm Labor Housing Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 514 loans to develop on-farm and off-farm housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 515 Rental Housing Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 515 loans to provide affordable rental housing for very low-, low-, and moderate-income families, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 515 Rental Housing Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 515 loans to provide affordable rental housing for very low-, low-, and moderate-income families, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 516 Farm Labor Housing Grants.

Cumulative number of Section 516 grants to develop off-farm housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 516 Farm Labor Housing Grant Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 516 grants to develop off-farm housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 523 Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants and Contracts.

Cumulative number of Section 523 grants and contracts to help qualified organizations carry out local self-help housing construction projects for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 523 Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grant and Contract Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 523 grants and contracts to help qualified organizations carry out local self-help housing construction projects for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 523 Self Help Site Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 523 loans to acquire and develop sites for housing to be constructed by the self-help method for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 523 Self Help Site Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 523 loans to acquire and develop sites for housing to be constructed by the self-help method for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 524 Site Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 524 loans to acquire and develop sites for low- or moderate-income families, with no restriction as to the method of construction for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 524 Site Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 524 loans to acquire and develop sites for low- or moderate-income families, with no restriction as to the method of construction for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 525 Technical Assistance Grants.

Cumulative number of Section 525 grants to conduct programs of technical and supervisory assistance for low-income rural residents to obtain and/or maintain occupancy of adequate housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 525 Technical Assistance Grant Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 525 grants to conduct programs of technical and supervisory assistance for low-income rural residents to obtain and/or maintain occupancy of adequate housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants.

Cumulative number of Section 533 grants to conduct housing preservation programs benefitting very- and low-income rural residents for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 533 Housing Preservation Grant Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 533 grants to conduct housing preservation programs benefitting very- and low-income rural residents for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 538 Guaranteed Rental Housing Loans.

Cumulative number of Section 538 loan guarantees for the development or preservation of affordable rural rental housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 538 Guaranteed Rental Housing Loan Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 538 loan guarantees for the development or preservation of affordable rural rental housing for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 542 Rural Housing Vouchers.

Cumulative number of Section 452 vouchers providing rental assistance to eligible tenants facing displacement from Section 515 properties that have exited the program before their loan maturity date for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Section 542 Rural Housing Voucher Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for Section 542 vouchers providing rental assistance to eligible tenants facing displacement from Section 515 properties that have exited the program before their loan maturity date for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Single-Family Housing and Multifamily Housing Credit Sales.

Cumulative number of properties with SFH and MFH credit sales for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA Single-Family Housing and Multifamily Housing Credit Sale Obligations.

Total dollar amount obligated for SFH and MFH credit sales for the current federal fiscal year period. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Vacant Housing Unit.

A housing unit is vacant if no one is living in it at the time of enumeration, unless its occupants are only temporarily absent. Units temporarily occupied at the time of enumeration entirely by people who have a usual residence elsewhere are also classified as vacant. (Census of Population and Housing)

Value.

Respondent’s estimate of how much the property (house and lot, mobile home and lot, or condominium unit) would sell for if it were for sale. The question was asked of housing units that were owned, being bought, vacant for sale, or sold not occupied at the time of the survey. If the house or mobile home was owned or being bought, but the land on which it sits was not, the respondent was asked to estimate the combined value of the house or mobile home and the land. For vacant units, value was the price asked for the property. Value was tabulated separately for all owner-occupied and vacant-for-sale housing units, as well as owner-occupied and vacant-for-sale mobile homes. (American Community Survey)a

Year Householder Moved into Unit.

Year of the latest move by the householder. If the householder moved back into a housing unit he or she previously occupied, the year of the latest move was reported. If the householder moved from one apartment to another within the same building, the year the householder moved into the present apartment was reported. The intent is to establish the year the present occupancy by the householder began. The year that the householder moved in is not necessarily the same year other members of the household moved in, although in the great majority of cases an entire household moves at the same time. (American Community Survey)

Year Structure Built.

Year the building was first constructed, not when it was remodeled, added to, or converted. Housing units under construction are included as vacant housing if they meet the housing unit definition, that is, all exterior windows, doors, and final usable floors are in place. For mobile homes, houseboats, RVs, etc., the manufacturer’s model year was assumed to be the year built. (American Community Survey)