L.A., Census Bureau Differ on Vacancy Rate
Data assembled by the city of Los Angeles shows a lower vacancy rate for homes on the Westside than the U.S. Census Bureau found in April.
Different counting methods may be one reason for the discrepancy, but it may also mean that the census missed several thousand residents, said Greg Lipton, a demographer for the city Community Development Department.
The city estimate is based on the number of unused utility meters, while the Census Bureau relied on occupants to fill out mailed questionnaires, then followed up with visits.
“The form was hard for people not used to machine-graded forms, and L.A. has a lot of people who did not go to school in the United States or did not go to school at all,” Lipton said.
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