The U.S. Census Bureau published 2014 fourth quarter residential vacancy and homeownership rates, with the national vacancy rate at 7 percent for rental housing and 1.9 percent for homeowner housing. The national homeownership rate of 64 percent was 1.2 percentage points lower than a year before. Approximately 87% of housing units were occupied in the Q4 of 2014, with owner-occupied housing units making up 56% of total housing units and renter-occupied units making up 32% of the inventory in the fourth quarter of 2014. Homeownership rates were highest in the Midwest at 68.3 percent and lowest in the West at 58.5 percent. In regards to homeownership demographics, homeownership rates were highest among householders 65 years old and older (79.5 percent) and lowest for those under 35 years old (35.3 percent). Homeownership rates among non-Hispanic White householders was 73.2 percent. Interestingly, Other Races householders was 55.4 percent and African American householders was 42.1 percent.
