Demographic Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Housing Markets

Rolf Pendall, Lesley Freiman, Additional Authors

This paper summarizes six key demographic trends against the backdrop of the still unfolding U.S. housing crisis. In 2010, young adults lived in their parents' homes, doubled up with other families, or stayed with roommates at rates far higher than in 2000. All working-age adults reduced their rates of homeownership; blacks and Hispanics saw especially acute declines in homeownership during the housing bust. The crisis has also increased poverty rates to their highest level in two decades, reducing many families’ ability to pay for housing. Home vacancies stand well above year-2000 levels; at year-2000 vacancy rates, 2.7 million fewer units would now be vacant. In addition, about 10 percent of residential mortgages are either in foreclosure or delinquent.

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