Accessible Version
Did the Pandemic Change Who Became Behind on Rent? Characteristics of Renters Behind on Rent Before and After the Pandemic Onset, Accessible Data
Figure 1. Distribution of Education within Renter Groups
The figure is a horizontal histogram that compares the distribution of education proxies for usual income between three groups. The top series is those who are behind in 2019 and 2021, the middle series is those who are behind in 2021 only, and the bottom series is those who are not behind in 2021. There are two proxies included. The first proxy is Education Level, split between clusters High school degree or less, Some college no associate degree, Associate degree, and Bachelor’s degree or more. The confidence intervals for each proxy are included on every bar. Under the High school degree or less cluster the top series is 51, middle series is 49, and bottom series is 35. Under the Some college, no associate degree cluster the top series is 32, middle is 35, and bottom is 26. Under the Associate degree cluster the top series is 8, middle is 6, and bottom is 8. Under the Bachelor’s degree or more cluster the top series is 8, middle is 10, and bottom is 31. The second proxy is Parental Education Level, split between clusters Both parents high school degree, At least 1 parent with some college, and At least 1 parent with a bachelor’s degree. Under the Both parents high school degree cluster the top series is 57, middle series is 57, and bottom series is 43. Under the At least 1 parent with some college cluster the top series is 29, middle is 27, and bottom is 24. Under the At least 1 parent with a bachelor’s degree cluster the top series is 14, middle is 17, and bottom is 33. The distribution and histogram lengths for those behind in 2021 only and those behind in 2019 and 2021 are similar, but both groups are different from the distribution for those not behind in 2021. The confidence intervals illustrate that there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups behind in 2021.
Notes: Each bar represents the percent of renters at each education level within each renter group. Summing the bars within renter group (bars of the same color) across education levels adds up to 100 percent (with some not exactly 100 percent due to rounding). Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decision making. Key identifies bars in order from top to bottom.
Figure 2. Distribution of Age and Disability Status (Proxies for Usual Income) within Renter Groups
The figure is a horizontal histogram that compares the distribution of other proxies for usual income between three groups. The top series is those who are behind in 2019 and 2021, the middle series is those who are behind in 2021 only, and the bottom series is those who are not behind in 2021. There are two proxies included. The first proxy is Age, split between clusters 18-29, 30-44, 45-59, and 60+. The confidence intervals for each proxy are included on every bar. Under the 18-29 cluster the top series is 32, middle series is 31, and bottom series is 35. Under the 30-44 cluster the top series is 36, middle is 38, and bottom is 31. Under the 45-59 cluster the top series is 22, middle is 22, and bottom is 18. Under the 60+ cluster, the top series is 10, middle is 9, and bottom is 17. The second proxy is Disability status with the cluster has a disability. The top series is 32, middle is 26, and bottom is 20. The distribution and histogram lengths for those behind in 2021 only and those behind in 2019 and 2021 are similar, but both groups are different from the distribution for those not behind in 2021. The confidence intervals illustrate that there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups behind in 2021.
Notes: Under Age, each bar represents the percent of renters at each age level within each renter group. Summing the bars within renter group (bars of the same color) across age levels adds up to 100 percent. Under Disability Status, each bar represents the percent of renters within each renter group with a disability. Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decision making. Key identifies bars in order from top to bottom.
Figure 3. Distribution of Race/Ethnicity and Children in Household within Renter Groups
The figure is a horizontal histogram that compares the distribution of factors that correlate with housing insecurity between three groups. The top series is those who are behind in 2019 and 2021, the middle series is those who are behind in 2021 only, and the bottom series is those who are not behind in 2021. There are two factors included. The first factor is Race/Ethnicity, split between clusters White, Black, and Hispanic. The confidence intervals for each factor are included on every bar. Under the White cluster the top series is 40, middle series is 36, and bottom series is 51. Under the Black cluster the top series is 28, middle is 22, and bottom is 19. Under the Hispanic cluster the top series is 26, middle is 32, and bottom is 22. The second factor is Presence of Children with the cluster children are present in the household. The top series is 36, middle is 40, and bottom is 23. The distribution and histogram lengths for those behind in 2021 only and those behind in 2019 and 2021 are similar, but both groups are different from the distribution for those not behind in 2021. The confidence intervals illustrate that there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups behind in 2021.
Notes: Under Race/Ethnicity, each bar represents the percent of renters of each race/ethnicity within each renter group. Under Presence of Children, each bar represents the percent of renters with a child in their house. Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Summing the bars within renter group (bars of the same color) across races/ethnicities adds up to less than 100 percent. This is because Asian renters, renters of other races, and renters of multiple races not included due to small sample size. White, Black, and Hispanic renters are reported in the survey data as mutually exclusive categories, with White renters and Black renters including those renters who are non-Hispanic only. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decision making. Key identifies bars in order from top to bottom.
Figure 4. Distribution of Income Level and Emergency Savings in 2021 within Renter Groups
The figure is a horizontal histogram that compares the distribution of economic characteristics in 2021 between three groups. The top series is those who are behind in 2019 and 2021, the middle series is those who are behind in 2021 only, and the bottom series is those who are not behind in 2021. There are two characteristics included. The first characteristic is Income Level, split between clusters Less than $25,000, $25,000-$49,000, $50,000-$99,000, and $100,000 or more. The confidence intervals for each characteristic are included on every bar. Under the Less than $25,000 cluster the top series is 64, middle series is 63, and bottom series is 40. Under the $25,000-$49,999 cluster the top series is 22, middle series is 25, and bottom series is 21. Under the $50,000-$99,999 cluster the top series is 12, middle is 11, and bottom is 25. Under the $100,000 or more cluster the top series is 2, middle is 1, and bottom is 14. The second characteristic is Emergency Savings with the clusters Cannot cover 3 month expense, Cover w/ borrowing, selling, or other savings, and Cover w/ dedicated emergency fund. Under the Cannot cover 3 month expense cluster the top series is 78, middle series is 76 and bottom series is 39. Under the Cover w/ borrowing, selling, or other savings cluster the top series is 10, middle series is 10, and bottom series is 15. Under the Cover w/ dedicated emergency fund cluster the top series is 11, middle is 14, and bottom is 46. The distribution and histogram lengths for those behind in 2021 only and those behind in 2019 and 2021 are similar, but both groups are different from the distribution for those not behind in 2021. The confidence intervals illustrate that there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups behind in 2021.
Notes: Each bar represents the percent of renters at each income level or ability to cover three months of expenses with emergency savings within each renter group. Summing the bars within renter group (bars of the same color) across income levels or across emergency savings adds up to 100 percent (with some not exactly 100 percent due to rounding). Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking. Key identifies bars in order from top to bottom.
Figure 5. Share Reporting Income Decline in Past 12 Months (by Timing of Behind on Rent)
The figure is a bar chart with three bars. One bar is at 42% and represents the share of renters behind in 2021 only who reported an income decline in the past 12 months. The other bar is at 26% and represents the share of renters behind in 2019 and 2021 who reported an income decline in the past 12 months. The third bar is at 13% and represents the share of renters not behind in 2021 who reported an income decline in the past 12 months. The confidence interval is also included on every bar.
Notes: Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking.
Figure 6. Behind on Rent in Past Year, 2021 Differences by Race/Ethnicity
The figure comprises two lines representing the regression coefficients and 95% confidence intervals from the regression of being behind on rent in the past year in 2021 on indicators for Black and Hispanic renters (White renters are the omitted category). Black renters are represented by the first line, with the coefficient at 3.4% and a confidence interval ranging from -1.4% to 8.2%. Hispanic renters are represented by the second line, with a coefficient at 4.0% and a confidence interval ranging from -0.1% to 8.7%. The takeaway is that, while both Black and Hispanic renters were more likely to be behind on rent in 2021 relative to White renters, the differences are not statistically significant.
Notes: Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking.
Figure 7. Differences by Race/Ethnicity, By Timing of Behind on Rent
The figure is a stacked bar chart with three bars, each representing White, Black, and Hispanic renters respectively. The bottom half of each stacked bar represents the percent of renters of that Race/Ethnicity who are behind on rent in 2021 only. The top half of each stacked bar represents the percent of renters of that Race/Ethnicity who are behind on rent in 2019 and 2021. Each stacked bar includes a 95% confidence interval. For the bottom half of each stacked bar, the White cluster is at 66, the Black cluster is at 64, and the Hispanic cluster is at 73. These rates are similar and the confidence intervals for each Race/Ethnicity also overlap.
Notes: Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors, without controlling for other factors as in Figure 6. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking. Key identifies bars in order from top to bottom.
Figure 8. Unemployment and Rental Assistance, By Timing of Behind on Rent
The figure is a clustered bar chart with two clusters. The first cluster compares the percent of renters who received unemployment income between three groups. The leftmost group is those who are behind in 2019 and 2021, the middle group is those who are behind in 2021 only, and the rightmost group is those who are not behind in 2021. For both groups behind in 2021, this percent is the same at 23%. The rate for those not behind in 2021 lies significantly below at 11%. The second cluster compares the percent of renters who applied for emergency rental assistance between two groups. The leftmost group is those who are behind in 2021 only and the rightmost group is those who are behind in 2019 and 2021. The rate is at 35% for those behind in both years and is at 36% for those behind in 2021 only. The confidence intervals are included on each bar.
Notes: Bars represent 95 percent confidence intervals using linear regressions with robust standard errors. Data from 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking. Rental assistance questions were not asked of those not behind on rent in 2021. Key identifies bars in order from left to right.