2011 Characteristics of New Housing

This report provides annual statistics on the characteristics of new privately owned residential structures for the U.S. and the nation’s four regions — Northeast, South, Midwest and West. The statistics are gathered from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction, and the report includes characteristics such as type of wall material, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, type of financing, heating and square footage.

A Few Highlights from the 2011 Report:

• The average single-family house completed was 2,480 square feet. In 2010, the average single-family house was 2,392 square feet.
• 33% of the new single-family homes sold in the U.S. had vinyl siding as the principal type of exterior wall material. For attached single-family homes sold, it was 41% and for detached single-family homes sold, it was 32%.
• 88% of all single-family homes completed had air-conditioning. By region, the proportions were 81% in the Northeast, 91% in the Midwest, 99% in the South, and 62% in the West.
• 39% of single-family homes completed had 4 or more bedrooms. 48% of them had 3 bedrooms.
• Of the single-family homes completed with 4 or more bedrooms, 57% had 3 or more bathrooms.
• 19% of new single-family homes sold had a garage that could hold 3 or more cars.

To explore additional data related to new housing characteristics for 2011, view this report at: http://www.census.gov/construction/chars/

The 2011 Annual Survey of State Government has been released by the U.S. Census Bureau which indicates that overall tax collections for states increased $55.7 billion to $757.2 billion in fiscal year 2011, up 9.8%. General sales tax revenue was at $234.5 billion in fiscal year 2011, up 5.4%.

State Government Tax Collections 2011: Connecticut

Within the state of Connecticut, the 2011 Annual Survey of State Government indicates that State Government Tax Collections for Fiscal Year 2011 totaled $13,432,252,000. The following table includes a brief breakdown of the State Government Tax Collections for fiscal year 2011 for Connecticut:

To view (and download) this data and related information on the 2011 Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections survey visit: http://www.census.gov/statetax

The 1940 census records were released by the US National Archives April 2, 2012, and brought online through a partnership with Archives.com. The 1940 Census National Archives site allows you full access to the 1940 census images, in addition to 1940 census maps and descriptions. Visit the National Archives site for more details at: http://1940census.archives.gov/

1940 Census Video from National Archives

Additional Resources on the 1940 Census

• U.S. Census Bureau 1940 Census Resources
• U.S. Census Bureau 1940 Census Data Visualization 
• U.S. Census Bureau 1940 Census Then and Now

The Census Bureau releases population estimates annually for the United States and Puerto Rico. Every decade, this provides the opportunity to examine these estimates side-by-side with the results of the decennial census. Comparisons of preliminary 2010 estimates and census counts are now available for U.S. states and the Puerto Rico Commonwealth. Comparisons for U.S. counties and Puerto Rico municipios will be made available after all Census 2010 counts are released for these areas. For background on how the estimates were produced, see the Release Notes for Preliminary Vintage 2010 Estimates.

For full methodological detail on the production of population estimates, please refer to Vintage 2009 methodology statements for National, State and County, and Puerto Rico population estimates.

To view complete the complete details on Population Estimates created by the U.S. Census Bureau visit: http://www.census.gov/popest/research/eval-estimates/eval-est.html

The Information and Communication Technology Survey (ICTS), a supplement to the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES), was created in response to economic data user and policymaker concerns about the lack of available data on e-business infrastructure investment by nonfarm businesses. Rapid advances in ICT equipment result in these assets having short useful lives and being replaced at a much faster rate than other types of equipment. As a result, rather than capitalizing the value of such assets and expensing the cost over two or more years, companies often expense the full cost of such assets during the current annual period. In some cases this same-period expense is also because companies have varying dollar levels for capitalization. Hence, the survey gives users a more complete idea of U.S. companies’ total investment in ICT equipment. The statistics are used to assess future productivity and economic growth prospects and permit the reconciliation of important differences between reported production and consumption of technology.

Companies are expensing the full cost of such assets during the current annual period rather than capitalizing the value of such assets and expensing the cost over two or more years. In some cases this is due to the short useful life of the asset, and in other cases this is because companies have varying dollar levels for capitalization. The ICTS data are critical for providing improved source data to the investment component of gross domestic product, capital stock estimates, and capital flow tables.

The 2010 estimates included in this report are based on data collected from a sample of 46,448 companies with employees. The sample frame for companies with employees was slightly more than 5.7 million. Check out the full report at: http://www.census.gov/econ/ict/xls/2010/full_report.html

The chart above is from the 2010 Information and Communication Technology Survey Summary of Findings report which is available at: http://www.census.gov/econ/ict/xls/2010/summary_of_findings.html

On Monday, March 26, 2012, the Census Bureau announced the list of urbanized areas and urban clusters defined on the basis of the 2010 Census. The official announcement occurred via the Federal Register, with the notice providing lists of urbanized areas and urban clusters and their respective 2010 Census populations.

In conjunction with the announcement, the Census Bureau’s Geography Division released the following items:

• Lists of urbanized areas and urban clusters with 2010 population, land area, and population density;
• Urbanized area/urban cluster TIGER/Line shapefiles
• Updated 2010 census block shapefiles with urban/rural flag and urban area code
• Files providing relationships between urbanized areas/urban clusters and counties, places, county subdivisions, ZCTAs, and metro/micro areas;
• A 2010 urban area to 2000 urban area relationship file;
• Census 2000 to 2010 Census population and land area change for urbanized areas
• Urban/rural population by state
• Urban/rural population by county
• Thematic maps:
• Distribution of urbanized areas and urban clusters
• New urbanized areas
• Percentage of population that is urban by county
• Percentage of population in urbanized areas by county
• Ten most populous urbanized areas

These items and other information about the Census Bureau urban-rural classification and urban area delineations can be found on the Census Bureau’s website at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/ua/2010urbanruralclass.html.

For details an overview of the urban areas data release, view the U.S. Census Press Release.

• A prominent dashboard showing off the Census Bureau’s economic indicators
• A top dropdown menu for quick navigation to key topics
• A new interactive map showing a mash up of economic and demographic statistics
• A “Stat of the Day” highlighting Census Bureau statistics across all the data we collect
• A mega footer with links categorized under familiar topics and highly trafficked pages
• A feature for users to provide feedback