Housing Units By Decade

[fareastsider]

Does anyone have any links or information on housing units by decade for the City of Detroit. I am curious how many remain in regards to its peak. Previous vacancy rates would be interesting to learn as well.

[animatedmartian]

https://makeloveland.com/age/mi/wayn...=neighborhoods

Not quite what you're asking, but it does show buildings by age in the city.

[Danny]

You can find any Detroit ghetto hood home in that website, the owners' names, the style of the home, what year it's built and taxes being paid. A perfect set up for thieves. This is truly a breach of personal property security.

[emu steve]

Here is an official Census Bureau publication [[PDF) which has housing unit data by MCD [[minor civil division) for 2010, 2000, and 1990.

The census is actually the 'Decennial Census of Population and Housing.' The Census Bureau attempts to locate every housing unit as each is a possible place for people to live. If they miss housing units they would miss people...

Here is the 2010 census publication:

http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-24.pdf

Table 8.

349K [[2010), 375K [[2000), and 410K [[1990).

The big thing for Detroit is how many are occupied and how many vacant and how many dropped from the housing inventory as uninhabitable [[e.g., burnt out, demolished, etc.).

The Annual Housing Survey has data on vacancies.

They should have reports for the Detroit SMSA [[if that is what they still call it) and separate data for Detroit [[central city for the SMSA).

Years ago the large metropolitan areas were done every 4 years. I have no idea what they do now.

Census Bureau also collects data on new construction, permits, etc.

There is a lot of data out there if someone wishes to look for it.

[dtowncitylover]

It seems to me, and by no means am I scientific just complete anecdotal observation, but housing units in a city is usually half of that city's population. So if Detroit was 1.8 million in 1950, there would be ~900,000 housing units then. Though it could be considerably less since the 1950s and a little before in the city were the age of large, predominately "ethnic" families, perhaps ~700,000?

[animatedmartian]

It seems to me, and by no means am I scientific just complete anecdotal observation, but housing units in a city is usually half of that city's population. So if Detroit was 1.8 million in 1950, there would be ~900,000 housing units then. Though it could be considerably less since the 1950s and a little before in the city were the age of large, predominately "ethnic" families, perhaps ~700,000?

Not quite that simple. It mostly depends on household size which has changed throughout the decades. These days, the average household size [[in most of the US) is 2.5 people. So for every housing unit, you can expect to find at least 2 people and maybe some kids.

In 1950, I think Detroit's average household size was closer to 3 or 4. It's more likely that Detroit peaked out at somewhere around 600,000 housing units.

[kathy2trips]

On behalf of all the research geeks on the panel, a hearty thanks for the link! Wish I could buy my mother's old house back and fix it up; at least now I know who owns it. [[a bank.)

[catch22]

https://makeloveland.com/age/mi/wayn...=neighborhoods

Not quite what you're asking, but it does show buildings by age in the city.

FYI for anyone reading this: Whatever database they're using is not up to date in all cases, at least by my reckoning. I checked one parcel I have working knowledge of. This was purchased in 2005 and split into two parcels [[one taxable, one tax-exempt, same owner). Then, two years ago, several acres were sold off to a third party [[and thus split again). The database still shows it as one parcel and still owned by the real estate company it was purchased from 10 years ago. Also, my next door neighbor's lot is shown as still owned by the people that sold it 3 years ago.

[Memph]

I looked into this a little while back so I have the data.

Housing Units in Detroit	1940	1950	1960	1970	1980	1990	2000	2010
Total	441454	522429	553106	529115	473564	410027	375096	349170
Occupied	425545	512413	514837	497707	435746	374057	336428	269445
Vacant	15909	10016	38269	31408	37818	35970	38668	79725

[softailrider]

I looked into this a little while back so I have the data.

Housing Units in Detroit	1940	1950	1960	1970	1980	1990	2000	2010
Total	441454	522429	553106	529115	473564	410027	375096	349170
Occupied	425545	512413	514837	497707	435746	374057	336428	269445
Vacant	15909	10016	38269	31408	37818	35970	38668	79725

Wow.......should be about 50% left now from the peak., maybe less.

[Shai_Hulud]

Wow.......should be about 50% left now from the peak., maybe less.

Yes, these numbers jive with what I've read and personal observations. When you drive down a block and 30% of the houses are gone, and of those remaining, 30% are occupied you begin to get a feel for the loss. That, and wide, wide streets with very few cars on them.