What does this measure?

The percentage of all occupied housing units (not vacant) that are owner-occupied (not rented).

Why is this important?

A home is often a family's greatest financial asset. Owning a home is a traditional part of the American dream and a typical entry point into the middle class. Homeownership is an important factor for neighborhood stability and civic participation.

How is the Greater Capital Region performing?

In 2005-07, 67% of occupied housing units in the Greater Capital Region were occupied by the owners rather than renters. This is on par with the national homeownership rate and higher than the state rate of 56%, which is low due to the high proportion of renters in New York City. Since 1990, every county in the region experienced a slight rate increase with the overall regional rate up from 64%.

Notes about the data

The 2005-2007 figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined three years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.