Housing Units
The total count of houses, apartments, condos, mobile homes, and other separate living quarters in a ZIP code, whether occupied or vacant.
A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room that is occupied (or intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. The Census Bureau counts housing units in the decennial Census and estimates them annually through the ACS. As of the 2020 Census, there are approximately 140 million housing units nationwide.
The total housing unit count for a ZCTA includes both occupied and vacant units. The vacancy rate — the proportion of units not currently occupied — provides insight into housing market conditions, seasonal communities, and areas experiencing population decline.
Developers, urban planners, and utility companies use ZIP-level housing unit counts to estimate demand for services, plan infrastructure, and assess market saturation. Insurance companies use housing unit density and type to model risk.