Is Renting Bad for Your Health? How Renters Can Ensure Safe and Secure Housing
Common housing problems for renters and homeowners
| Housing characteristics | Percent of renters | Percent of homeowners |
|---|---|---|
Signs of mice or rats in last 12 months | 12.20% | 13.27% |
Signs of cockroaches in last 12 months | 17.94% | 9.60% |
Holes in floors | 1.81% | 0.85% |
Open cracks or holes | 7.03% | 4.54% |
Broken plaster or peeling paint, interior | 2.90% | 1.62% |
Exposed wiring | 3.26% | 2.37% |
No working toilets in last 3 months | 3.08% | 1.25% |
Uncomfortably cold for 24 hours or more last winter | 7.48% | 4.79% |
Water leakage in last 12 months, interior | 10.71% | 6.79% |
Water leakage in last 12 months, exterior | 9.52% | 10.54% |
Missing roofing material | 1.76% | 3.29% |
Mold in last 12 months | 4.68% | 2.23% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. “American Housing Survey,” U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed September 19, 2018.
What Does Renting Look Like in Your City?
| Housing characteristics | Atlanta | Boston | Chicago | Dallas | Detroit | Houston | LA | Miami | NYC | Philadelphia | Phoenix | San Francisco | Seattle | DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Signs of mice or rats in last 12 months | 3.00% | 17.17% | 11.09% | 6.23% | 9.35% | 9.57% | 8.89% | 5.90% | 19.24% | 21.81% | 3.62% | 10.61% | 4.86% | 18.53% |
Signs of cockroaches in last 12 months | 36.46% | 6.90% | 11.64% | 23.56% | 4.32% | 47.87% | 24.16% | 33.88% | 23.65% | 13.09% | 25.89% | 9.86% | 2.77% | 20.82% |
Holes in floors | 1.93% | 0.95% | 0.89% | 1.44% | 1.54% | 0.96% | 1.80% | 0.95% | 2.17% | 2.03% | 1.20% | 1.73% | 1.14% | 0.77% |
Open cracks or holes | 5.79% | 4.88% | 7.12% | 6.25% | 8.59% | 7.30% | 6.56% | 4.50% | 7.15% | 7.07% | 4.26% | 6.90% | 6.29% | 7.21% |
Broken plaster or peeling paint, interior | 2.29% | 3.83% | 3.09% | 2.42% | 3.66% | 2.61% | 2.01% | 3.89% | 3.79% | 2.40% | 1.80% | 3.73% | 1.74% | 1.70% |
Exposed wiring | 2.76% | 2.97% | 2.60% | 3.74% | 2.29% | 2.41% | 3.62% | 2.30% | 3.42% | 3.42% | 4.75% | 4.69% | 3.13% | 2.64% |
No working toilets in last 3 months | 2.58% | 1.58% | 2.30% | 3.81% | 2.88% | 4.01% | 3.61% | 4.45% | 2.90% | 3.31% | 2.04% | 3.61% | 1.66% | 3.62% |
Uncomfortably cold for 24 hours or more last winter | 5.73% | 8.27% | 8.62% | 2.64% | 15.51% | 3.70% | 5.94% | 2.08% | 12.68% | 8.96% | 2.97% | 9.52% | 9.68% | 6.05% |
Water leakage in last 12 months, interior | 13.27% | 8.85% | 10.07% | 9.66% | 13.12% | 9.15% | 9.22% | 8.03% | 11.17% | 13.84% | 9.07% | 9.51% | 9.44% | 16.61% |
Water leakage in last 12 months, exterior | 10.88% | 7.23% | 10.82% | 6.92% | 11.09% | 11.69% | 7.42% | 9.03% | 7.94% | 10.32% | 6.22% | 9.21% | 6.91% | 11.24% |
Missing roofing material | 1.76% | 0.49% | 1.10% | 1.69% | 2.84% | 1.12% | 0.92% | 1.12% | 0.11% | 1.55% | 1.69% | 0.88% | 0.75% | 0.26% |
Mold in last 12 months | 5.53% | 2.38% | 4.66% | 3.92% | 3.39% | 4.71% | 4.45% | 5.42% | 4.55% | 4.73% | 2.66% | 7.38% | 5.62% | 4.58% |
Source: National Center for Healthy Housing. “State of Healthy Housing Tool,” NCHH, Accessed September 19, 2018.