Changing Demograhics and Life Styles: What Are Recent Homebuyers Really like?

Abstract

: Cross-tabular and cluster analysis are applied to mailed questionnaire samples for Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Ohio, and New Castle County (Wilmington), Delaware, to determine the extent to which recent demographic and life style trends associated with neighborhood revitalization influenced the composition of the homebuying population. In fact, these trends have had only a limited impact. Although Hamilton County contained a homebuyer cluster of upwardly mobile singles and couples without children, neither county had a homebuyer cluster identifiably based on both demographic and attitudinal characteristics. Further, suburban rather than urban values dominated the homebuying populations in these counties. The fact that Hamilton County contains a more cosmopolitan-like cluster than New Castle County highlights the fact that some cities have brighter prospects than others for attracting additional middle income families.