Rent: Economic Characteristics, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Rent

Contract rent. The data on contract rent (also referred to as ‘‘rent asked’’ for vacant units) were obtained from answers to long-form questionnaire Item 46, which was asked on a sample basis at occupied housing units that were rented for cash rent and vacant housing units that were for rent at the time of enumeration.

Housing units that are renter occupied without payment of cash rent are shown separately as ‘‘No cash rent’’ in census data products. The unit may be owned by friends or relatives who live elsewhere and who allow occupancy without charge. Rent-free houses or apartments may be provided to compensate caretakers, ministers, tenant farmers, sharecroppers, or others.

Contract rent is the monthly rent agreed to or contracted for, regardless of any furnishings, utilities, fees, meals, or services that may be included. For vacant units, it is the monthly rent asked for the rental unit at the time of enumeration.

If the contract rent includes rent for a business unit or for living quarters occupied by another household, only that part of the rent estimated to be for the respondent’s unit was included.

Excluded was any rent paid for additional units or for business premises.

If a renter pays rent to the owner of a condominium or cooperative, and the condominium fee or cooperative carrying charge also is paid by the renter to the owner, the condominium fee or carrying charge was included as rent.

If a renter receives payments from lodgers or roomers who are listed as members of the household, the rent without deduction for any payments received from the lodgers or roomers was to be reported. The respondent was to report the rent agreed to or contracted for even if paid by someone else such as friends or relatives living elsewhere, a church or welfare agency, or the government through subsidies or vouchers.

In some tabulations, contract rent is presented for all renter-occupied housing units, as well as specified renter-occupied and vacant-for-rent units.

Specified renter-occupied and specified vacant-for-rent units. In some tabulations, contract rent is presented for specified renter-occupied and vacant-for-rent units. Specified renter-occupied and specified vacant-for-rent units exclude 1-family houses on 10 acres or more.

Median and quartile contract rent. The median divides the rent distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median contract rent and one-half above the median. Quartiles divide the rent distribution into four equal parts. Median and quartile contract rent are computed on the basis of a standard distribution. In computing median and quartile contract rent, units reported as ‘‘No cash rent’’ are excluded. Median and quartile rent calculations are rounded to the nearest whole dollar. Upper and lower quartiles can be used to note large rent differences among various geographic areas.

Aggregate contract rent. Aggregate contract rent is calculated by adding all of the contract rents for occupied housing units in an area. Aggregate contract rent is subject to rounding, which means that all cells in a matrix are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.

Aggregate rent asked. Aggregate rent asked is calculated by adding all of the rents for vacant-for-rent housing units in an area. Aggregate rent asked is subject to rounding, which means that all cells in a matrix are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.

Limitation of the data. In previous censuses, including 1990, contract rent for vacant units had high allocation rates (about 35 percent).

Comparability. Data on this item have been collected since 1930. In Census 2000, this question was asked on a sample basis. In previous decennial censuses, the question on contract rent was asked on a 100-percent basis. In Census 2000, respondents wrote in the contract rent amount. In previous decennial censuses, respondents marked the appropriate contract rent box shown as ranges on the questionnaire.

Gross Rent. The data on gross rent were obtained from answers to long-form questionnaire Items 45a-d, which were asked on a sample basis. Gross rent is the contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.) 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. The estimated costs of utilities and fuels are reported on an annual basis but are converted to monthly figures for the tabulations. Renter units occupied without payment of cash rent are shown separately as ‘‘No cash rent’’ in the tabulations.

Median gross rent. Median gross rent divides the gross rent distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median gross rent and one-half above the median. Median gross rent is computed on the basis of a standard distribution. Median gross rent is rounded to the nearest whole dollar.

Aggregate gross rent. Aggregate gross rent is calculated by adding together all of the gross rents for occupied housing units in an area. Aggregate gross rent is subject to rounding, which means that all cells in a matrix are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.

Comparability. Data on gross rent have been collected since 1940 for renter-occupied housing units. In Census 2000, questionnaire Item 45c asked the annual costs for water and sewer in an effort to obtain all costs associated with water usage. In 1990, the question asked the yearly costs for water only.

Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in 1999. Gross rent as a percentage of household income in 1999 is a computed ratio of monthly gross rent to monthly household income (total household income in 1999 divided by 12). The ratio is computed separately for each unit and is rounded to the nearest tenth. Units for which no cash rent is paid and units occupied by households that reported no income or a net loss in 1999 comprise the category ‘‘Not computed.’’

Median gross rent as a percentage of household income in 1999. This measure divides the gross rent as a percentage of household income distribution into two equal parts, one-half of the cases falling below the median gross rent as a percentage of household income and one-half above the median. Median gross rent as a percentage of household income is computed on the basis of a standard distribution. Median gross rent as a percentage of household income is rounded to the nearest tenth.

Meals Included in Rent. The data on meals included in the rent were obtained from answers to long-form questionnaire Item 46b, which was asked on a sample basis at occupied housing units that were rented for cash rent and vacant housing units that were for rent at the time of enumeration. The statistics on meals included in rent are presented for specified renter-occupied and specified vacant-for-rent units. Specified renter-occupied and specified vacant-for-rent units exclude 1-family houses on ten or more acres. (For more information, see ‘‘Contract Rent.’’) This was a new item in 1990 used to measure ‘‘congregate’’ housing, which generally is considered to be housing units where the rent includes meals and other services, such as transportation to shopping and recreation.

Comparability. In Census 2000, this question was asked on a sample basis. In 1990, the question was asked on a 100-percent basis.

Reference:

U.S. Census Bureau, 2007. Summary File 3. Technical Documentation: 2000 Census of Population and Housing.