DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS

Except for the few instances noted below, the concepts and definitions used in the 1959 and 1958 quarterly surveys are identical with those used in the 1950 Census. However, the content of the quarterly surveys differed slightly from the 1950 Census. In 1959 and 1958, but not in 1950, information was collected on the number of bedrooms, duration of vacancy, and inclusion of utilities in rent. On the other hand, the 1950 Census included a question year built. In both the 1950 Census and the quarterly surveys, information was obtained on number of rooms in the unit, number of dwelling units in the structure, condition, plumbing facilities, status, monthly rent, and sale price.

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Urban-rural residence.--Urban housing comprises all dwelling units in (a) places of 2,500 inhabitants or more incorporated as cities, boroughs, and villages, (b) incorporated towns of 2,500 inhabitants or more except in New England, New York, and Wisconsin, where "towns" are simply minor civil divisions of counties, (c) the densely settled urban fringe around cities of 50,000 inhabitants or more, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas, and (d) unincorporated places of 2,500 inhabitants more outside any urban fringe. The remaining dwelling units are classified as rural.

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The urban classification thus includes, in addition to dwelling units in urban places, the housing in closely settled areas in the vicinity of large cities. These areas, known as the "urban fringe,' were established to conform as nearly as possible to the actual boundaries of thickly settled territory, usually characterized by a closely spaced street pattern. Urban fringe areas were set up for each city of 50,000 inhabitants or more just prior to the 1950 Census. Thus, some concentrations of new housing just outside the urban fringe may be classified as rural.

The definition for urban areas given above is the same as that used for the 1950 Census. The areas designated as urban in 1959 and 1958 are the same as those so designated in 1950 and no adjustment has been made for the fact that some areas which were rural in 1950 would be urban at the present time.

Rural housing includes isolated homes in the open country and dwelling units in villages of fewer than 2,500 inhabitants.

Nonfarm residence.--Nonfarm dwelling units are defined to include all units in urban areas and those units in rural areas which are not on farms. For occupied units, the farm-nonfarm classification is based on the respondent's reply to the question, "IS this house on a farm?" Farm residence is, therefore, determined without regard to the occupation of the members of the household and reflects local usage rather than the uniform application of an objective definition.

Dwelling units located on farm land where cash rent is paid for the house and yard only, and dwelling units on institutional grounds and in summer camps and tourist courts, were classified as nonfarm.

For vacant units, the farm-nonfarm classification depends on whether the residents in the vicinity consider the place to be a farm. Because of the difficulty in obtaining a reliable classification for many vacant units in rural areas, no separate vacancy rates are provided for farm and nonfarm units. However, the classification is considered sufficiently reliable to provide percentage distributions for rent and value data, which are restricted to nonfarm units (table 5).

Standard metropolitan areas.--Except in New England, a standard metropolitan area is a county or group of contiguous counties which contained at least one city of 50,000 inhabitants or more at the time of the 1950 Census. Counties contiguous to the one containing such a city are included in a standard metropolitan area if according to certain criteria they are essentially metropolitan in character and socially and economically integrated with the central city. In New England, towns and cities were the units used in defining standard metropolitan Here a population density criterion was applied rather than the criteria relating to metropolitan character.

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Statistics for "inside standard metropolitan areas" in table 2 are for all vacant dwelling units-urban and rural, farm and nonfarm--which are located within the counties and places comprising standard metropolitan areas.

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For a list of all standard metropolitan areas, and their constituent counties (cities, towns), fer to the individual chapters (or bulletins) in the 1950 Census of Housing, Volume I, General Characteristics; or to the 1950 Census of Population, Volume I, Number of Inhabitants, or Volume II, Characteristics of the Population, Part 1, United States Summary.

The standard metropolitan areas were es tablished at the time of the 1950 Census. Both the 1950 and the quarterly statistics relate to these same (168) areas.

Dwelling units.--In general, a dwelling unit is a group of rooms or a single room occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters by a family or other group of persons living together or by a person living alone.

Ordinarily, a dwelling unit is a house, an apartment, or a flat. A dwelling unit may be 10cated in a structure devoted to business or other nonresidential use, such as quarters in a warehouse where the watchman lives or a merchant's quarters in back of his shop. Trailers, boats, tents, and railroad cars, when occupied as living quarters, are included in the dwelling unit inventory; if vacant, however, such accommodations are excluded.

A group of rooms, occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters, is a dwelling unit if it has separate cooking equipment or separate entrance. A single room, occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters, is a dwelling unit if it has separate cooking equipment or if it constitutes the only living quarters in the structure. Each apartment in a regular apartment house is a dwelling unit even though it may not have separate cooking equipment. Apartments in residential hotels are dwelling units if they have separate cooking equipment or consist of two or more rooms. Since it is customary in some localities for the intended occupants to furnish their own cooking equipment, vacant units were considered as having cooking equipment if they were currently equipped with or if the last occupants had such equipment.

Living quarters of the following types are not included in the dwelling unit inventory: Sleeping rooms in rooming houses; transient accommodations (tourist courts, hotels, etc., predominantly for transients); and barracks for workers (railroad, construction, etc.). Living quarters in institutions (for delinquent or dependent children, handicapped persons, the aged, prisoners, etc.), general hospitals, and military installations are likewise excluded from the dwelling unit inventory except for dwelling units in buildings containing only family quarters for staff members.

Nonresident dwelling units.--A nonresident dwelling unit is a unit which is occupied temporarily by persons who usually live elsewhere, provided the usual place of residence is held for the household and is not offered for rent or for sale. For example, a beach cottage occupied at the time of enumeration by a family which has a usual place of residence in the city is considered a nonresident unit. Their house in the city would be reported "occupied" and would be included in the count of occupied units since the occupants are only tempo

rarily absent.

Nonresident units in the 1959 and 1958 statistics are included with seasonal units or with year-round vacant units as dilapidated, or not dilapidated but held off the market, as the case may be. In the 1950 reports, the nonresident units were shown as a separate category; for comparison with the 1959 and 1958 results, however, these units were distributed among seasonal, dilapidated, and not dilapidated units held off the market.

Vacant dwelling units.--A dwelling unit (furnished or unfurnished) is vacant if no persons were

living in it at the time of enumeration, except when its occupants were only temporarily absent. Dilapidated vacant dwelling units were included if they were intended for occupancy as living quarters; however, if the unit was unfit for use and beyond repair so that it was no longer considered living quarters, it was excluded from the inventory. New units not yet occupied were enumerated as vacant dwelling units if construction had proceeded to the point that all the exterior windows and doors were installed and final usable floors were in place; otherwise, potential units under construction were not included. Unoccupied units held off the market for various reasons and units recently rented or sold but not yet occupied are considered vacant.

Vacant sleeping rooms in lodginghouses, transient accommodations, barracks, and other quarters not defined as dwelling units are not included in the statistics in this report. (See section on "Dwelling units.")

Seasonal units.--Seasonal dwelling units are those intended for occupancy during only a portion of the year and are found primarily in resort areas. In farm areas, dwelling units used for only a portion of the year to house migratory workers employed during the crop season are classified as seasonal.

Seasonal units comprise unoccupied seasonal units and seasonal units temporarily occupied by nonresidents. Units in resort areas occupied by persons who considered the unit their usual place of residence or had no other place of residence are classified as occupied. (See also section on "Occupied dwelling units.")

Year-round vacant units.--Year-round units are those intended for year-round occupancy, even though they may not be in use the year round. In resort areas, a dwelling unit which is usually occupied on a year-round basis was considered a year-round unit. On the other hand, a dwelling unit located in the closely built-up area of a nonresort city was considered a "year-round" unit even though it may be occupied only part of the year. As indicated above, year-round units temporarily occupied by persons with usual residence elsewhere are included with year-round vacant units.

d. Inadequately converted cellars, garages, barns, and similar places.

The enumerator determined the condition of the dwelling unit on the basis of his own observation. He was instructed to appraise the condition of units uniformly, regardless of the neighborhood. The enumerator was provided with detailed written instructions and with pictures illustrating the concepts "deterioration" and "inadequate original construction."

Although the enumerator was provided with detailed oral and written instructions and with visual aids, it was not possible to eliminate completely the element of judgment in the enumeration of this item. It is possible that some enumerators obtained too large or too small a count of dilapidated units. However, with the large number of enumerators involved, it is likely that such deviations tend to be offsetting.

Available vacant units.--This category provides a measure of vacant dwelling units which are on the housing market for year-round occupancy. It consists of units which are for year-round occupancy, are not dilapidated, and are being offered for rent or sale. Excluded are seasonal units, dilapidated units, and units already rented or sold or not on the rental or sale market for other reasons. The count of available vacancies constitutes a more effective measure of the supply of vacant housing than does the count of total vacancies. This category is comparable with the 1950 category "Nonseasonal not dilapidated, for rent or sale."

The category "For rent" consists of vacant units offered for rent as well as those being offered both for rent and for sale. The category "For sale only" is limited to units for sale and not for rent. If a unit was located in a multi-unit structure which was for sale as an entire structure, and if the unit was not for rent, it was reported as "held off market." However, in a 2- or 3-dwelling-unit structure which was for sale, the unit intended to be occupied by the owner was reported as for sale.

Vacant units rented or sold.--This group consists of year-round not dilapidated vacant units which have been rented or sold but the new renters or owners have not moved in as of the day of emmeration. In the 1950 statistics, such units are shown in combination with year-round not dilapidated vaI cant units held off the market.

Vacant units held off the market.--Included in this category are year-round not dilapidated units which were vacant for reasons other than those mentioned above: for example, held for occupancy of a caretaker, janitor, and the like; held for settlement of estate; held for personal reasons of the owner; temporarily used for storage; and temporarily occupied by persons who have a usual place of residence elsewhere. In the 1950 statistics, such units are shown in combination with year-round not dilapidated vacant units, rented or sold, as "nonseasonal not dilapidated, not for rent or sale" units.

Rental vacancy rate.--The percentage relationship of the available vacant units for rent to the total rental inventory is termed the rental vacancy rate. It is computed by dividing the number of available vacant units for rent by the total rental units. The total rental units consist of the renteroccupied units, vacant units rented but not yet occupied at the time of enumeration, and the available vacant units for rent. Excluded are dilapidated vacancies and seasonal units.

Home-owner vacancy rate.--The percentage relationship between the available vacant units for sale and the total home-owner inventory is termed the home-owner vacancy rate. It is computed by dividing the number of available vacant units for sale by the total home-owner units. The total home-owner units consist of the owner-occupied units, vacant units sold and awaiting occupancy, and the available vacant units for sale. Excluded are dilapidated vacancies

and seasonal units.

Temure.--A unit is owner-occupied if the owner or co-owner is one of the persons living in the unit (or absent from the household for a short period of time, such as a family member in the Armed Forces or temporarily working away from home) even if he has a mortgage on the property.

A unit is renter-occupied if any money rent is paid or contracted for, or if the unit is occupied rent free.

Number of rooms.--All rooms which are to be used, or are suitable for use, as living quarters were counted in determining the number of rooms in the dwelling unit. Included are kitchens, bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, and permanently enclosed sunporches of substantial size; and finished basement or attic rooms, recreation rooms, or other rooms suitable for use as living quarters. A kitchenette or half-room which is partitioned off from floor to ceiling was counted as a separate room, but a combined kitchenette and dinette separated only by shelves was counted as only one room. or cabinets

Not counted as rooms were bathrooms, strip or pullman kitchens, halls or foyers, alcoves, pantries, laundries, closets or storage space, and unfinished basement or attic not suitable rooms for living quarters.

The median number of rooms is the theoretical value which divides the dwelling units equally, onehalf having more rooms and one-half having fewer rooms than the median. In the computation of the For median, a continuous distribution was assumed. example, when the median was in the 3-room group, the lower and upper limits were assumed to be 2.5 and 3.5, respectively. Tenths were used in the computation of the median to permit comparisons.

Number of dwelling units in structure.--A structure either stands by itself or has vertical walls dividing it from all other structures. The count of dwelling units in a structure is the total number of units in the structure, including both occupied and vacant units. A structure may be detached, attached, or semi detached. A detached structure has open space on all four sides; an attached structure is one of a row of three or more adjoining structures, or is a structure attached to a nonresidential structure; while a semi detached structure is one of two

adjoining residential structures, each with open space on the remaining three sides. In apartment developments, each building with open space on all sides is considered a separate structure.

The statistics reflect the number of vacant dwelling units classified by the number of dwelling

units in the structure in which they are located, rather than the number of residential structures that contain vacant units.

In the quarterly surveys, data were obtained on the number of dwelling units in the structure, regardless of the type of structure (detached, attached, or semi detached) in which the unit was located. In the 1950 Census, statistics for 1- and 2-dwelling-unit structures were compiled by type of structure as well as by number of dwelling units in the structure.

Duration of vacancy. --The length of time a dwelling unit was vacant was computed from the day the unit became vacant until the day of enumeration. It should be noted that the time period is not the total remains unoccupied time a unit nor the time a unit has been in a particular vacancy status, but it is the duration of vacancy up to the day of enumeration. For newly constructed units, it represents the time period since the date when the unit was considered a vacancy, that is, when construction had reached the point that all exterior windows and doors were installed and final usable floors were in place.

The time intervals used in the tables represent full months, calculated from a date in the month to the same date the following months. For example, if the unit became vacant on January 29 and was still vacant on the day of enumeration, March 20, the time reported would be "1 to 2 months," meaning that the unit had been vacant for more than one month but less than two months. on Or if the unit became vacant and was February 25 still vacant on March 20, the time reported would be "less than 1 month."

Plumbing facilities.--Dwelling units "with all facilities" consist of those which have: both a flush toilet and a bathtub or shower inside the structure for the exclusive use of the intended occupants, and hot running water. This classification is directly comparable with the 1950 category "With private toilet and bath, and hot running water."

Units "lacking facilities" consist of those which lack one or more of the plumbing facilities or which lack exclusive use of these facilities. For exemple, included as "lacking facilities" would be a downstairs apartment with hot running water but whose occupants would share the bathroom with the occupants of the upstairs apartment.

Facilities were considered "inside the structure" if they were located within the dwelling unit or elsewhere in the structure. Facilities are for exclusive use if only the intended occupants of this one dwelling unit would use them.

A dwelling unit was considered as having hot running water whether it was available the year round or only part of the time. For example, hot running water may be available only during the heating season or at various times during the week.

Monthly rent. --The monthly rent is the amount asked for the unit at the time of enumeration, regardless of whether it is to include furniture, heating fuel, electricity, cooking fuel, water, or other services. If the amount of rent were to vary