Housing -- Mixed Agency Resources
Contents
Decennial Census (Census 2020)
American Community Survey
Accessing government data is a powerful way to understand the housing market, as it provides reliable, non-commercial insights into demographics, home values, affordability, and economic trends. There are several key U.S. government agencies that provide housing-related data, often through APIs.
Here are some of the most important sources:
U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau is a primary source for demographic and housing data.
| • | Census Data API: This API is a versatile tool for accessing a wide range of data, including from the Decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS, in particular, provides detailed annual information on housing characteristics, such as: |
| o | Housing unit counts |
| o | Homeownership rates |
| o | Housing values and rents |
| o | Mortgage status and costs |
| o | Number of rooms and bedrooms |
| o | Year the structure was built |
| o | Heating fuel type |
| • | TIGERweb REST Services: This service provides geographic boundary files and data, which you can use to map and visualize housing data at various levels, from the national down to the census block group. |
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD offers data related to housing assistance, market analysis, and a variety of programs.
| • | HUD Open Data Site: This platform is a central hub for HUD's geospatial and tabular datasets. It provides access to a variety of resources, including: |
| o | Low to Moderate Income Population by Block Group: This dataset can be used to analyze housing affordability and the distribution of income-restricted housing. |
| o | HUD Insured Multifamily Properties: This dataset includes information on properties with insured financing through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). |
| • | Housing Counselor API: This API allows you to search for information on HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. |
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)
The FHFA is the regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and is a key source for data on housing prices and mortgages.
| • | FHFA House Price Index (HPI): The FHFA HPI is a comprehensive collection of publicly available house price indexes that measure changes in single-family home values. While they offer datasets for download (in formats like CSV and XLS), these data are also accessible through various data platforms and sometimes through APIs. |
| • | National Mortgage Database (NMDB): This database is a nationally representative sample of residential mortgages in the U.S., offering valuable insights into mortgage trends and performance. |
Other Relevant Government APIs
| • | Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED): Provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the FRED API is a vast resource for economic data. It includes many housing-related indicators, such as mortgage rates, housing starts, and various house price indexes, which can be easily integrated into your applications. |
| • | OpenFEMA API: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides data related to disaster assistance, including details on housing assistance programs. This can be useful for analyzing the impact of natural disasters on housing markets. |
How to Get Started
| 1. | Request an API Key: Most of these APIs require you to register and obtain a free API key. This helps the agencies manage usage and provide you with better support. |
| 2. | Explore Documentation: Each agency's developer page provides documentation with examples of how to construct API calls. This is crucial for understanding the available data variables, parameters, and geographic levels of detail. |
| 3. | Start with the Basics: The Census Bureau API is often a great starting point for housing market analysis due to its wealth of demographic and housing data. You can find numerous tutorials and examples online to help you build your first query.Accessing government data is a powerful way to understand the housing market, as it provides reliable, non-commercial insights into demographics, home values, affordability, and economic trends. There are several key U.S. government agencies that provide housing-related data, often through APIs. |
.