For the first time, researchers have national data on the prevalence of involuntary moves among renters, and the numbers are significantly larger than expected. New US Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey data show 44 percent of renter households reported feeling pressure to move from their current home during the past six months. The survey also asked whether people left their homes as a result of the pressure, with 22 percent of households who experienced pressure having moved. 

The data correspond with other measures of housing insecurity that show, for example, almost half of renter households (21.6 million) spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent and 11.6 million households spend more than 50 percent of their income on rent. The reasons renters felt pressured to move also highlight the power imbalance between renters and their landlords, especially amid a tight housing market. Recent inflationary increases in rent and prices for other household goods have hit households hard. Of those who felt pressured to move, 56 percent cited increased rent as the cause. Another 30 percent of renters attributed feeling pressure to move to their landlord not making repairs. 

Being threatened with eviction and having the locks changed, possessions removed, or utilities turned off were cited less often as reasons, at 9 percent and 1 percent. But when these pressures did exist, renters were highly likely to leave their homes, with 42 percent of renter households whose landlords threatened eviction leaving their homes and 69 percent of renters whose landlords changed the locks or turned off utilities leaving their homes.
 

Actions Cited That Led to Residents Moving

Note: Survey respondents could choose multiple reasons for why they moved. 
Source: US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey Public Use Files, weeks 58–62.

Latinx and Black renters were more likely to experience these forms of pressure. Forty-eight percent of Latinx and 48 percent of Black renters felt pressured to leave their homes compared with 41 percent of white households.
 

People of Color Are More Likely to Feel Pressured to Move

Notes: People identifying as Hispanic/Latinx may also identify as another race. The authors used the “other races” category to align with the data source but recognize aggregating racial and ethnic groups can mask important community differences.
Source: US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey Public Use Files, weeks 58–62.

For Black households, increased rent, ignored repairs, missed rent payments, and other pressures were the top reasons for feeling pressured to leave. The top reasons for Latinx households also included increased rent and ignored repairs, as well as feeling “other pressures” to move. Of Latinx households who felt pressured to leave their homes, 59 percent attributed the pressure to their landlord increasing rent.
 

Households with Children Are More Likely to Feel Pressured to Move

Notes: People identifying as Hispanic/Latinx may also identify as another race. Asian households with children have been omitted because the standard error estimate (not shown) > 0.5. The authors used the “other races” category to align with the data source but recognize aggregating racial and ethnic groups can mask important community differences.
Source: US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey Public Use Files, weeks 58–62.

Across all racial and ethnic categories, households with children younger than 18 were more likely to experience pressure to leave their homes. This corresponds with stark new data, showing that children younger than 5 years old make up 12 percent of households who face eviction each year.

Charting a new way forward

These data show the stark reality for most renters across the country: very few regulations and laws protect them from destabilizing factors, and little financial assistance is available for renters who need it. Even when there are laws, such as those that protect tenants’ health and safety, some renters may be unaware of them or may not feel empowered to exercise their rights. Improving renter benefits and protections can improve their well-being and reduce the many costs of housing loss that communities bear.

Some cities around the country are experimenting with rental registries to conduct risk-based property inspections and ensure rental homes are being kept healthy and safe and to monitor other forms of compliance with tenant laws. Other states and cities have implemented limits on rent increases to prevent rent gouging. California has capped rent increases on almost all but the newest rental properties throughout the state. And states and cities are articulating just causes for formal eviction that could ensure renters are compensated if a landlord violates the law with an illegal eviction or decides to ask the renters to leave for another reason, such as selling the property. Finally, expanding government benefits for housing—which currently only reach one in five eligible households—could stabilize renters even before other protections are necessary.

With more and more households renting by necessity as buying a home becomes increasingly difficult, it’s even more crucial to protect renters from losing their homes. Policymakers should consider strengthening renter protections and increasing rental assistance to both improve the balance of power between renters and their landlords and decrease housing instability for families and communities.