The Neighborhood Intel Block Analyzer empowers users to explore different Census data variables over a geographic area down to the census block level. This article provides metadata for the Housing and Real Estate variables displayed.
Knowing and understanding your housing and real estate sectors in your community has become an essential part of your municipality development. Using the Block Analyzer allows you to get a snapshot on housing and real estate health down to a Census block level.
Housing and Real Estate Filters
Housing Market Strength
The housing market strength filter pulls the data from demographic, socioeconomic, housing, and educational from the United States Census Bureau and updates as soon as the census bureau releases new data. With all the information combined we are able to come up with a score 1 through 10 on how strong your housing market is down to the census group. This is important because it allows you to see the housing market strength of communities in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into ten different categories. The darkest purple (10) shows areas in your municipality that have the strongest housing market and the lightest purple (1) shows areas in your municipality that have the weakest housing market with gradient purple and market strength in between. |
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Example The Map to the right is a screenshot of the Grosse Pointe areas and part of Detroit. We can see areas in Grosse Pointe and part of Detroit where the housing market strength is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Median Home Value
The median home value filter pulls its data from the United States Census Bureau and updates as soon as the census bureau releases new data. The median divides the value distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median value of the property (house and lot, mobile home and lot (if lot owned), or condominium unit) and one-half above the median. Quartiles divide the value distribution into four equal parts. Median and quartile value are computed on the basis of a standard distribution. Median and quartile value calculations are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars. Upper and lower quartiles can be used to note large value differences among various geographic areas. This is important because it allows you to see the median home values broken down into census blocks in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest purple (highest dollar amount) shows the areas with the highest median home value is located in your municipality and the lightest purple (lowest dollar amount) showing areas with the lowest median home value with in your municipality with gradient purple ranges in between. |
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Example The map to the right is a screenshot of the Grand Rapids MI. We can see areas in Grand Rapids where the median home value is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Housing Affordability
The housing affordability filter pulls the data from HUD Exchange and is updated as soon as they release new data. This includes homeowners and renters. Mortgage payment provides information on the monthly housing cost expenses for owners with a mortgage. When the data is used in conjunction with income data, the information offers an excellent measure of housing affordability and excessive shelter costs. The data also serve to aid in the development of housing programs aimed to meet the needs of people at different economic levels. Gross rent provides information on the monthly housing cost expenses for renters. When the data is used in conjunction with income data, the information offers an excellent measure of housing affordability and excessive shelter costs. The data also serve to aid in the development of housing programs to meet the needs of people at different economic levels and to provide assistance to agencies in determining policies on fair rent. This is important because it allows you to see areas of affordable housing in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest orange (highest number) shows areas that are the least affordable housing in your municipality and the lightest orange (lowest number) shows areas that are the most affordable housing in your municipality with a gradient orange ranges in between. |
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Example The map to the right is of Lansing MI. We can see areas in Lansing where the affordable housing is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Housing Affordability - Rents
The housing affordability - rents filter pulls the data from HUD Exchange and is updated as soon as they post new data. This only includes affordability for rents. Gross rent provides information on the monthly housing cost expenses for renters. When the data is used in conjunction with income data, the information offers an excellent measure of housing affordability and excessive shelter costs. The data also serve to aid in the development of housing programs to meet the needs of people at different economic levels and to provide assistance to agencies in determining policies on fair rent. This is important because it allows you to see what areas of affordable rent in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest orange (highest number) shows areas that are least affordable for rents in your municipality and the lightest orange (lowest number) shows areas that are the most affordable in your municipality with gradient orange ranges in between. |
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Example The map to the right is screenshot of Detroit MI. We can see areas in Detroit where the affordable rent is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Housing Affordability - Owners
The housing affordability - owners filter pulls the data from HUD Exchange and is updated as soon as they release new data. This only includes affordability for owners. Mortgage payment provides information on the monthly housing cost expenses for owners with a mortgage. When the data is used in conjunction with income data, the information offers an excellent measure of housing affordability and excessive shelter costs. The data also serve to aid in the development of housing programs aimed to meet the needs of people at different economic levels. This is important because it allows you to see how affordable the housing market is in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest orange (highest number) shows areas where the housing market is least affordable in your municipality and the lightest orange (lowest number) shows areas with the most affordable housing market in your municipality with gradient orange ranges in between. |
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Example The map to the right is of Auburn Hill and Pontiac MI. We can see areas in Auburn Hills and Pontiac where the owner affordable housing is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Median Rent
Median rent filter pulls the data from the United States Census Bureau and is updated as soon as they release new data. Median gross rent divides the gross rent distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median gross rent and one-half above the median. Median gross rent is computed on the basis of a standard distribution. In computing median gross rent, units reported as “No rent paid” are excluded. Median gross rent is rounded to the nearest whole dollar. The median gross rent explanation is comparable to the description used for Median and Quartile Contract Rent. The median rent filter lets you use a slide at the bottom of the screen that allows you to see the change in median rent throughout the years. This is important because it can allow you to see how much your median rent has increased or decreased in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest green (highest dollar amount) shows areas that have the highest median rent in your municipality and the lightest green (lowest dollar amount) shows areas that have the lowest median rent in your municipality with gradient green ranges in between. |
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Example The map to the right is a screenshot of Grand Rapids MI. We can see areas in Grand Rapids where the median rent is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Vacancy Rate
The vacancy rate filter pulls the data from the United States Census Bureau. It is updated as soon as the census bureau releases new data. A housing unit is vacant if no one is living in it at the time of interview. Units occupied at the time of interview entirely by persons who are staying two months or less and who have a more permanent residence elsewhere are considered to be temporarily occupied, and are classified as “vacant.” The vacancy rate filter has a slider at the bottom of the screen that allows you to see the vacancy rate change throughout the years. This is important because it allows you to see how many vacant places are in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest purple (highest percent) shows areas in your municipality that have the highest vacancy rate and the lightest purple (lowest percent) shows areas in your municipality with gradient purple percentages in between. |
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Example The map to the right is of Kalamazoo MI. We can see areas in Kalamazoo where the vacancy rate is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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Owner Occupancy Rate
The owner occupancy rate filter pulls the data from the United States Census Bureau. A housing unit is classified as occupied if it is the current place of residence of the person or group of people living in it at the time of interview, or if the occupants are only temporarily absent from the residence for two months or less, that is, away on vacation or a business trip. This is important because it shows you where most of the owners live in your municipality.
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Legend The legend is broken down into six different categories. The darkest purple (highest percentage) shows areas in your municipality that have the highest owner occupancy rate and the lightest purple (lowest percentage ) shows areas in your municipality that have the lowest owner occupancy rate with gradient purple percentages in between. |
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Example The map to the right is of Battle Creek MI. We can see areas in Battle Creek where the occupancy rate is higher than other areas, at a glance. |
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