Indicator: 54 - HOUSING PROBLEMS
Why This Is Important
Housing problems can pose serious threats to children's physical, psychological or material
well-being. A 1995 national study reported 12% of households with children under 18 had
severe housing problems (that is, either severe housing cost burdens or major physical
problems among those not receiving rental assistance). The most common problems were
lack of complete plumbing for exclusive use, having unvented room heaters as the primary
heating equipment, and multiple upkeep problems such as water leakage, open cracks or
holes, broken plaster or signs of rats.
Where We Stand
In 2004, just 5% of all respondents with children under the age of eighteen answered
“yes” to the question, “Have you experienced any type of housing problems, such as,
lack of complete plumbing, unvented room heaters as your primary heat source, and/or
multiple upkeep problems?” For the year 2003 the median household income for Maine
was estimated at $39,838. Creating two categories of income, those households earnings
less than $35,000 a year and those earning more, there is a statistical difference in reported
housing problems between the two groups.
- 11% of those earning less than $35,000 a year report severe housing problems.
- Only 4% of those earning more than $35,000 a year report severe housing problems.
Data Sources and Context
Data on this indicator comes from a statewide telephone survey of Maine households with
children present who are age 18 or younger. The respondents to this survey were adults in
the household who self-identified as a parent. The indicator is similar to indicators used by
the Maine Development Foundation in their previous surveys of Maine citizens, or other
national surveys of families, so that the data could be used to monitor trends over time and
to compare Maine to the nation. This 2004/5 survey was conducted by Critical Insights, a
strategic marketing research firm in Portland, Maine. During the months of December 2004
and January 2005, 400 Maine adults responded to the survey.
The adults were asked the following: “In the past year, have you experienced any type of
severe housing problem, such as lack of complete plumbing, unvented room heaters as your
primary heat source, and/or multiple upkeep problems.”
Only the data in the “all” column is statistically representative of adults in
households with children under the age of 18 in Maine. The information that is
provided by category of household income is a rough estimate using weighted
data based on the 2003 American Communities Survey of the U.S. Census,
household income report for Maine. These categories are estimates only for
descriptive purposes and should not be used to make inferences about all
households in Maine with children under the age of 18.
