Table 2.  Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates, by Area:
           Third Quarter 1996 and 1995  
               
                                                Standard       
                           Third       Third    error on    Standard 
 Rental vacancy rates     quarter     quarter       1996    error on 
                            1996        1995        rate  difference 
                                                                       
 United States............  8.0         7.7         0.2         0.3   
                                                                     
   Inside MAs.............  7.9         7.7         0.2         0.3 
     In central cities....  8.7         8.6         0.3         0.4   
     Not in central cities                                            
     (suburbs)............  7.1         6.6         0.3         0.4   
   Outside MAs............  8.4         7.9         0.5         0.6   
                                                                     
  Northeast...............  7.8         7.1         0.4         0.6  
  Midwest.................  7.8         7.4         0.4         0.6  
  South...................  8.7         8.2         0.3         0.4  
  West....................  7.4         7.9         0.3         0.5 
                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
 Homeowner vacancy rates                                             
                                                                    
 United States............  1.7         1.5         0.1         0.1  
                                                                     
   Inside MAs.............  1.6         1.5         0.1         0.1  
     In central cities....  1.8         2.0         0.1         0.2  
     Not in central cities                                           
     (suburbs)............  1.6         1.2         0.1         0.1  
   Outside MAs............  1.7         1.6         0.1         0.2  
                                                                     
  Northeast...............  1.6         1.5         0.1         0.2  
  Midwest.................  1.4         1.2         0.1         0.1  
  South...................  1.8         1.6         0.1         0.1  
  West....................  1.8         1.6         0.1         0.2