EMBARGOED UNTIL: 12:01 A.M. EST, OCTOBER 29, 1998 (THURSDAY) Public Information Office CB98-200 301-457-3030/301-457-3670 (fax) 301-457-4067 (TDD) e-mail: pio@census.gov Kristin A. Hansen 301-457-2454 Median Duration in Residence is 5.2 Years; Majority Move in June Through October, Census Bureau Says Pointing up the mobile nature of America, a new report from the Commerce Department's Census Bureau today said that in 1993 the median length of time people ages 15 and over lived in their homes was 5.2 years. This means that half the people lived in their home for less than 5.2 years and half for a longer period of time. The report, Seasonality of Moves and Duration of Residence, P70-66, also found that nearly half of the residential moves occurred during the summer months, with June leading the way at 13.1 percent and August a close second at 12.6 percent. "America is an extremely mobile nation," said Kristin A. Hansen, Census Bureau analyst. "Every year, millions of people in the United States pack up and move to a different home. This report, which provides a snapshot look at mobility trends, points to when most moves occur and the length of time that people stay in one place." Other highlights in the report include: Duration of Residence - Although about 43 million people (16.7 percent of the population) moved in 1993, almost as high a proportion (15.3 percent) lived in the same house for more than 20 years. - Renters stayed in one residence for a median duration of 2.1 years, compared with 8.2 years for people living in owner-occupied housing units. - Renters ages 65 and over stayed in their units longer than those under 65 4.0 years, compared with 2.1 years for all renters. - Overall, women stayed at the same residence for a median of 5.6 years, compared with 4.9 years for men. Women in owner-occupied housing units had a median duration of 8.8 years, compared with 7.6 years for men. Seasonality of Moves - About 48 percent of moves among people 15 and over occurred from June through September, and 60 percent were made from June through October. Rates were considerably lower from November through May, probably due to school schedules and inclement weather. - Age had little effect on moves during the warm months, but older people were more likely to move after school started (September and October) than younger people. - Rates of moving in the three summer months were 34.8 percent for those moving within the same county, 35.9 percent for those moving between counties in the same state and 41.0 percent for those making interstate or international moves. The information comes from the 1993 Survey of Income and Program Participation. As in all surveys, the estimates are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.-X-The U.S. Census Bureau, pre-eminent collector and disseminator of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and the economy of the United States, conducts a population and housing census every 10 years, an economic census every five years and more than 100 demographic and economic surveys every year, all of them evolving from the first census in 1790.
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