The Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Pennsylvania

Statistics on children, youth and families in Pennsylvania from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Housing Ownership - Total housing units in Pennsylvania

Housing Ownership - Total housing units

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children from datacenter.aecf.org

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Why This Indicator Matters

Examining the number of housing units over time is important for understanding trends in housing availability, affordability, and population growth, which directly impact child and family well-being.[1] Changes in housing stock can indicate whether the state is keeping pace with demand driven by population increases or shifts, which in turn affects housing affordability and stability for families.[2] Data suggests that Pennsylvania’s housing stock has grown over the past couple decades, and vacancy rates have decreased slightly, although homes are among the oldest in the nation and only continue to age.[3] This is significant, as a lack of safe and affordable housing can negatively impact family stability, access to quality education, and overall child development.[4] Understanding housing trends informs policy recommendations to expand affordable housing, support low-income families, and enhance neighborhood conditions, which are essential for children's growth and success.

[1] Coley, R. L., Leventhal, T., Lynch, A. D., & Kull, M. (2013). Relations Between Housing Characteristics and the Well-Being of Low-Income Children and Adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 49(9), 1775–1789. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031033

[2] Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. (2019). The State of the Nation’s Housing. https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2019%20%281%29.pdf

[4] Children’s Defense Fund. (2020). The State of America’s Children. https://www.childrensdefense.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/The-State-Of-Americas-Children-2020.pdf

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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

The number of total housing units.

Data Source

U. S. Census of Population and Housing, Decennial Census, Tables H3. Occupancy Status, H4. Tenure, H5. Vacancy Status.

Notes

Includes all residents within the geographic region of the school district, not necessarily school district students.

Last Updated

January 2024