User Guide
How do I use the Housing Data Platform?
On the platform, you can quickly access housing market snapshots for specific geographies, visualize additional rental market data with interactive maps, and learn more from in-depth reports.
Select a geography from the dropdown menus. For most data, you can toggle between counties, townships, county subdivisions, and places.
Navigate to the reports page. On the reports page, you will find a variety of in-depth reports that can be generated with data from specific geographies.
In the top right corner of each chart block, you can choose to download the data as a CSV file or an image of the chart as a PNG file. Also, in the top right corner of each report, you can choose to download the entire contents of the report as a PDF file or all the data from the report as an Excel file.
Glossary
Learn more about the housing terms used throughout the data platform.
- Area Median Income (AMI): represents the midpoint in the distribution of household incomes within a certain geographic region. HUD publishes annual AMI levels for regions, adjusted for family size. The HUD-provided AMI is used to determine applicants’ eligibility for both federally and locally funded housing programs where participation is dependent on income levels.
- Cost Burden: A household is considered cost burdened when 30% or more of household income is spent on gross housing costs (can apply to renters or homeowners).
- Severe Cost Burden: A household is considered severely cost burdened when 50% or more of household income is spent on housing.
- Deed-Restricted Units: Otherwise known as subsidized units or covenanted units, these homes may receive forms of government subsidy, and typically have some form of covenant that restricts rent growth.
- Equity: Equity, in the context of this resource, means ensuring that all individuals have fair and equal opportunities to secure safe and suitable housing, regardless of factors like race, ethnicity, age, disability status, familial status, gender, ability, sexual or gender orientation, economic status, or location of residence. Housing equity aims to eliminate disparities and systemic barriers that can lead to unequal access to housing.
- Home Values Compared to Supportable Home Price: Total monthly payment was calculated using median income, prevailing mortgage rates and average state-wide property tax estimates. Homes are considered affordable if the total monthly payment does not exceed 30% of gross household pretax income (as defined by Housing and Urban Development).
- Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC): The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program is a federal program that provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to support the development of affordable rental housing. The LIHTC program distributes federal income tax credits to developers through state housing finance agencies, which are responsible for determining which projects receive tax credits under the state’s allocation. There are two general types of credits that can be awarded. 9% credits are higher-value credits that cover a greater percentage of projects’ development costs, and are awarded on a competitive basis. 4% credits are lower-value credits that cover a lower percentage of projects’ development costs, and are generally awarded to any projects that meet specific programmatic requirements and are financially feasible. 4% credits are usually paired with tax-exempt bond financing to make up the difference.
- Opportunity: Locating housing in opportunity areas means that households will have equitable access to employment, transit, schooling, healthcare, and other needs. When housing is located in segregated or impoverished areas, or when poverty becomes concentrated, residents have fewer opportunities, poorer health, and even lower life expectancy.
- Tenure: Housing tenure refers to the financial arrangement and ownership structure under which someone has the right to live in a house or apartment. Typical forms of tenure include renter-occupancy and owner-occupancy.
- Vacancy: Residential units that are unoccupied are considered to be vacant. There are several different reasons a home may be vacant, including: if the home is for rent or for sale, if it is a second home (seasonal use), if it is rented or owned but not currently occupied, or if the home was foreclosed upon or in need of repair.
- Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): A Core-Based Statistical Area is a geographical entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that comprises adjacent metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas. These areas are grouped together because they share significant economic and social ties, often in the form of commuting patterns and other indicators. CBSAs provide a broader regional context for analyzing demographic, economic, and social trends across interconnected urban and rural areas. Unlike cities or towns, which are individual localities with their own local governments, CBSAs encompass multiple cities, towns, and potentially rural areas, emphasizing economic relationships and connections rather than specific administrative boundaries.
- Cities/Towns: Urban areas with local governments, providing services and governance to their residents. The distinction between cities and towns can vary based on local laws and regulations.
- Housing Typology: A housing typology is based on the number of units in a structure, and can include single family housing (detached and attached single units) or multifamily housing (residential buildings consisting of more than two housing units).
- Multifamily Housing: For the purposes of this document, multifamily housing is defined as a residential building consisting of more than two housing units.
- Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH): Naturally occurring affordable housing is defined as housing that is priced by market forces at rates that are affordable to low income households. Housing is traditionally considered affordable if the total housing cost (rent or mortgage plus utilities) for the household represents no more than 30% of its income. NOAH housing often makes up a significant portion of a jurisdiction’s affordable housing stock, in addition to publicly subsidized housing.
- Public Housing: Public housing is a type of affordable housing that has been traditionally owned by a local government agency or authority. In most places, this is a public housing authority. HUD provides federal aid to local housing authorities to operate housing for residents, who pay rents that they can afford. In the United States today, there are approximately 1.2 million households living in public housing units, managed by some 3,300 housing authorities (HUD).
- Supportive Housing: Supportive housing is affordable housing that also includes support services designed to help tenants stay stably housed and build necessary life skills. Supportive housing can be designed either to be permanent or temporary for residents, with temporary housing targeted towards individuals who may be able to transition to traditional housing without support services over time. Supportive housing has been a successful tool to house populations that may be difficult to serve with traditional housing, such as chronically homeless adults.
- Single Family Housing: Residential building typology, which may include detached or attached units, which only includes 1 unit.
What data sources are shown in the platform?
Learn more about the data sources HR&A uses to understand housing market dynamics.
The American Community Survey (ACS) produces a wide range of demographic, socioeconomic, and housing data at many geographic levels, including down to the local level. The U.S. Census Bureau administers the ACS to about 3% of all U.S. households every year and uses this sample to make estimates nationwide. ACS 5-year estimates represent data collected over five years, denoted by the last year in that period. With more years of data, the 5-year estimates provide a more detailed and reliable picture of the population than the 1-year estimates but include less recent data. The breadth of available data makes the ACS a useful resource for policymakers and researchers seeking to understand population characteristics and housing supply. Data are currently available through 2023. HR&A accesses ACS data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS application programming interface (API).
The Decennial Census is a comprehensive population count carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau every ten years as required by the U.S. Constitution. In addition to counting U.S. residents, the census also collects demographic data on every individual living in the country, including age, race, gender, and household information. The data gathered influences political representation, allocation of resources, and decision-making at various levels of government. Data are currently available through 2020. HR&A accesses Decennial Census data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Census API.
Under the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) data partnership, the U.S. Census Bureau combines detailed, longitudinal, geographic data about employers and employees from several federal and state data sources. Once combined, the resulting Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data are used to produce the LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES). LEHD data are particularly useful for analyzing labor market dynamics across space and time. By mapping the data, policymakers and researchers can visualize geographic concentrations of employment and identify commuting patterns. This spatial analysis helps in understanding workforce movements, urban development, and the impact of economic policies on local and regional labor markets. Data are currently available through 2022. HR&A access LODES data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s LODES website.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calculates Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) monthly to help policymakers and researchers track employment and unemployment at local levels. LAUS estimates are produced based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS), the Current Population Survey (CPS), the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, and state unemployment insurance (UI) data systems. Data are currently available through 2024. HR&A accesses LAUS data from the BLS’s LAUS website.
The Multifamily Tax Subsidy Projects (MTSP) Income Limits set the maximum incomes for households to qualify for affordable housing funded by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and tax-exempt bonds. Federal mandates require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to update income limits annually based on the median family income for households of different sizes in each HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) Area across the country. HUD's income limits are critical for understanding the supply of, need for, and development of affordable housing. Data are currently available through 2024. HR&A accesses MTSP Income Limits from the HUD website.
The National Housing Preservation Database (NHPD) compiles data on federally assisted—and some state-assisted—rental housing properties in the United States. As a longitudinal and deduplicated database, NHPD data tracks the supply of affordable housing over time, including each property’s location, funding source(s), and physical conditions. NHPD sheds light on potential affordability expirations, helping policymakers and researchers identify affordable housing in need of preservation. Data are currently available through 2024. HR&A accesses NHPD data from the NHPD website.
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) provide employment and income data for each occupation at a variety of geographic levels. Based on its annual survey of employers and federal-state cooperation for data collection, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calculates OEWS estimates each year. OEWS data inform policymakers and researchers about labor market conditions, employment, and wages in different jobs across the country. Data are currently available through 2023. HR&A accesses OEWS data from the BLS’s OEWS website.
The Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) is a subset of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Instead of the ACS’s data which are pre-tabulated at the geography level, PUMS data are anonymized and published at the individual and housing unit levels. PUMS allows researchers to access detailed demographic, economic, and housing data for customized analyses while protecting respondents' privacy. Data are currently available through 2023. HR&A accesses PUMS data from the Census Bureau’s PUMS API.
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) provides monthly employment and quarterly income data for each sector and industry, down to the county level. Data are collected for workers covered by state unemployment insurance (UI) programs, as well as for federal workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program. QCEW data inform policymakers and researchers about industry-specific labor market trends, which can facilitate employment projection models. Data are currently available through 2024. HR&A accesses OEWS data from the BLS’s QCEW application programming interface (API).
By linking individual income tax returns filed over time, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) identifies address changes from the prior year. The Statistics of Income (SOI) Migration Data counts these residential moves as inflows and outflows from county-to-county and state-to-state, breaking down counts by individuals and households and providing the total adjusted gross income for movers to and from each geography. SOI Migration Data are perhaps the best publicly available data source tracking internal migration within the United States. Data are currently available through 2022. HR&A accesses the SOI Migration Data from the IRS website.
Zillow Research is a division of the online real estate marketplace Zillow that focuses on conducting and publishing housing market indexes, analyses, and reports. Zillow’s data covers various aspects of the housing market, such as home values, rent prices, for-sale listings, and market predictions, using data collected from their platform and other sources. Data are currently available through 2025. HR&A accesses Zillow Research’s Housing Data from the Zillow website.