This section focuses on the type, age, and quality of housing within Ohio, as well as new home construction, housing vacancy, and residential mobility. Slow growth in residential construction and historically-low housing vacancy rates create obstacles for prospective homebuyers and renters on fixed incomes.
Section Highlights
- Since 2020 Ohio's housing stock has grown by 0.9%, less than half the national growth rate (+2.1%). Over this period, Central Ohio has experienced the most housing growth (+2.4%), while Southeast Ohio has had the slowest growth rate (+0.2%).
- New residential construction has been steadily increasing since 2009; however production is still far below pre-recession levels. In 2022, 30,936 new privately-owned housing units were constructed in Ohio, representing a 29% increase from 2017. This construction boom is primarily driven by increased production of multifamily rental units (71% growth)—including both condominiums and market-rate rental housing. Over the same period—by comparison—single-family construction only increased by 8%.
- Over two-thirds (69%) of Ohio's housing units are single-family detached homes, higher than the national average (62%), while 15% of housing units in the state are in multifamily structures of five or more units, compared to 19% nationwide.
- Vacancy rates have been falling steadily since 2009. In 2021 the homeowner vacancy and rental vacancy rates hit their lowest recorded levels—0.4% and 4.0% respectively. At the end of 2022 these rates remained relatively low—0.9% and 6.2% respectively—indicating an extremely tight housing market.
- From 2016 to 2021, there was a 38% decline in the number of vacant units available for sale or rent. In the same period, there was a 13% increase in the number of units for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use, including short-term rental properties. These changes to the available housing supply are huge obstacles for prospective homebuyers and renters on fixed incomes.
Jump to: Change in Housing Stock | Structure Type | Housing Vacancy | Housing Mobility | Housing Quality
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Change in Housing Stock
Change in Number of Housing Units in the U.S. & Ohio
Source: Population and Housing Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau
Residential Construction in the U.S. & Ohio
Source: Building Permits Survey, U.S. Census Bureau; Population and Housing Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau
Residential Construction by Structure Type
Source: Building Permits Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
Change in Number of Housing Units by Region
Source: Population and Housing Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau
Change in Number of Housing Units
Source: Population and Housing Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau
Change in Residential Construction by Region
Source: Building Permits Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
Structure Type
Housing Units by Structure Type
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, 2021 ACS One-Year Estimates, Table B25024
Single-Family Detached Homes as Share of Units
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, 2021 ACS One-Year Estimates, Table B25024
Multifamily Units as Share of Units
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, 2021 ACS One-Year Estimates, Table B25024
Mobile Homes as Share of Units
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, 2021 ACS One-Year Estimates, Table B25024
Housing Vacancy
Quarterly Vacancy Rate, U.S. & Ohio, by Tenure
Source: Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey (CPS/HVS), U.S. Census Bureau
Vacant Housing Units by Vacancy Status
Source: American Community Survey (ACS) One-Year Estimates, Table B25004
Vacancy Rate by Tenure & Region
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, Tables B25003 & B25004
Homeowner Vacancy Rate
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, Tables B25003 & B25004
Rental Vacancy Rate
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, Tables B25003 & B25004
Vacation Homes as Share of All Housing Units
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, 2021 ACS One-Year Estimates, Tables B25003 & B25004
Housing Mobility
Geographic Mobility in Past Year by Tenure
Source: 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) One-Year Estimates,Table B07013
Year Moved into Unit by Tenure
Source: 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) One-Year Estimates, Tables B25038 & B25039
Median Year Moved into Unit
Source: 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS) Five-Year Estimates, 2021 ACS One-Year Estimates, Table B25039
Housing Quality
Substandard Housing by Income and Tenure
Source: IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota (based on 2021 one-year-estimates)
Substandard Housing by Region and Tenure
Source: IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota (based on 2021 one-year-estimates)
Downloadable Tables
- Housing Stock Tables (101 KB Excel File)
Related Reports
- Fiscal Year 2021 Housing Needs Assessment
- Fiscal Year 2022 Regional Housing Needs Assessments
- Legislative Reports and District Maps
- Ohio Housing Finance Agency 2022 Annual Report (5.06 MB Adobe PDF File)
- Ohio Housing Finance Agency 2024-2025 Annual Plan (2.74 MB Adobe PDF File)
- OHFA Economic Impact Report (2.79 MB Adobe PDF File)
Notes
Data on new housing units authorized for construction are limited to privately-owned homes.
Vacation homes are identified by the Census Bureau as housing units for "seasonal, recreational, or occasional use."
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines substandard housing as a unit that lacks complete kitchen or plumbing facilities.
Ohio Regions are defined at the county level by TourismOhio, part of the Ohio Department of Development. Regional estimates of IPUMS USA data are calculated using a geographic correspondence file from the Missouri Census Data Center at the University of Missouri to "crosswalk" the data from Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) to counties.
Data Sources
- Ohio Department of Development, TourismOhio, Ohio Regions
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey (ACS)
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population and Housing Estimates
- University of Minnesota, IPUMS USA
- University of Missouri, Missouri Census Data Center, Geocorr Applications