Data and Statistics

The largest migration to Vermont  came from New York, followed by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Florida and Connecticut, according to an article in yesterday's Burlington Free Press based on U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey estimates. The article explained that of the recent movers to Vermont,

For the past year, the Census Bureau has been converting the way users access its information.  All information released from the Census 2010, Census 2000, recent  American Community Surveys, as well as other sources are available through the new, improved American Factfinder 2. 

Due to the success of the new version of American Fact Finder, the Census Bureau will be ending the legacy version of American FactFinder on January 20.  Any web sites with deep links into the discontinued system will no longer work, including links to:

The Association of Public Data Users will present an overview of the housing statistics produced by the Census Bureau and general guidance regarding data user challenges in collecting, tabulating, and disseminating housing data. 

The webinar is on December 15, 2011, from 2-3 PM. 

In preparation for the webinar, participants may want to acquaint themselves with the housing resources of the Census Bureau by visiting their web page.

Register for the webinar.

The U.S. population 65 and older is now the largest in terms of size and percent of the population, compared with any previous census, according to a new 2010 Census brief released today from the U.S. Census Bureau on the nation's older population. The group grew at a faster rate than the total population between 2000 and 2010.  

Reports analyzing Chittenden County's housing needs, economic development, natural resources,  transportation, land use, education, public health and energy issues have been completed for the ECOS project.   All communities, organizations and residents are encouraged to review and comment on these reports by December 31 through the ECOS website.   VHFA prepared the housing needs report in collaboration with ECOS project partners.   

VHFA recently completed an assessment of the demographics, housing stock, and affordability challenges of residents in Burlington's downtown and waterfront neighborhoods.   

This area experienced a much higher rate of population growth during the past decade than the city as a whole.  It's primarily renter population has lower incomes on average, with a third spending more than half of their incomes for housing. 

What more do we need to know to improve housing and community development policy and practice?  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) is formulating its research agenda for the next 5–10 years and would like your input. 

Think critically and provide input about the above question as it relates to four targeted topic areas:

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the landmark legislation signed on October 22, 1986 by President Reagan that created the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit). Congress created the Housing Credit to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of affordable apartments for low-income working families by offering owners of such housing a credit against tax liability for 10 years. While no one could predict its future at the time, the Housing Credit has gone on to become the most successful rental housing program in history with over 2.4 million units of affordable, quality apartments constructed and preserved in rural, suburban, and urban areas across the country

Only one other state in the country (Maine) has more of its housing stock comprised of vacant, seasonal units.    A recent comprehesive report from the Census Bureau on housing characteristics shows that these homes make up 15.6% of Vermont's housing stock--an increase from 14.6% in 2000.    Only 3.5% of all homes in the U.S. are vacant, seasonal units. 

Despite a slight national decline between 2000 and 2010 in the percentage of homes that are owner occupied, Vermont's homeownership rate was virtually unchanged at 70.7%. 

The recession's longstanding toll on the incomes of Vermont households is shown clearly in estimates released by the Census Bureau yesterday.   The median income of a household in the state dropped to $49,406 in 2010 from $51,618 in 2009.   The poverty rate among Vermont households rose to 12.7% up from 11.4% in 2009.    Poverty among the state's children rose particularly high--to an alarming 16.7% in 2010 up from 13.3% in 2009.