The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have published new summary tables and public use files from the 2024 Rental Housing Finance Survey (RHFS). This survey is the only national data source that offers a comprehensive overview of mortgage financing for all types of rental properties in the United States.
The RHFS gathers information on several aspects, including property value, purchase price, year built, year acquired, number of buildings and rental units, as well as recent improvements or upgrades. It also covers rental status and monthly rents in residential buildings, commercial use of space within these structures, management and ownership status, benefits received from various government or nongovernmental programs, and detailed mortgage characteristics such as the number of mortgages or debts on a property, original and outstanding loan amounts, and payment frequency.
According to the Census Bureau, “The RHFS provides measures of financial, mortgage and property characteristics of U.S. residential properties with at least one housing rental unit. It is the only data source that provides a comprehensive picture of mortgage financing for all types of rental properties.”
The 2024 survey was conducted between June and November 2024 under HUD sponsorship. More details about the findings are available on the Rental Housing Finance Survey (RHFS) webpage.
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