The analysis of 254 counties with populations of 250,000 or more found that 12 of the top 20 counties for median home value growth from 2000-07 were in California led by San Bernardino County, which increased 210 percent from $124,854 to $387,000, while Riverside County grew 201 percent from $134,998 to $406,300 over the same period.
Conversely, both counties ranked fourth and fifth on the top 20 list for the highest decreases from 2007-09, with San Bernardino showing a 31 percent drop to $266,639 and Riverside declining 30 percent to $282,870. Overall, 13 of the counties in this category were from California, nine of which were in the top 10. Merced County was out front among areas with declining values, undergoing a 38 percent drop from $323,700 to $201,905, followed by San Joaquin County, which dropped 36 percent from $399,500 to $255,450. (For the complete top 20 listing of both categories, see the list below.)
Florida had five counties in both categories. Broward County led the way for highest increasing values at number four overall, rising 194 percent from $102,817 to $302,500, while Lee County ranked number eight for highest decrease, dropping 28 percent from $241,100 to $172,677.
Nielsen Claritas Chief Demographer Ken Hodges, who conducted the analysis, explained that the 2000 estimates originated from the U.S. Census, the 2007 numbers were based on estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS), the Census Bureau's ongoing survey that produces important statistics about our nation's population and housing, and the 2009 estimates came from Nielsen Claritas -- Nielsen's leading marketing information source.
"Although drawn from varied sources, the data illustrate the striking reversal of trends in housing values," says Hodges. "The ACS data extend to 2007, but significant change has occurred since then with rapidly inflating markets having experienced sudden and sharp declines -- declines reflected in the 2009 Nielsen Claritas estimates."
He added that the use of ACS data underscores how Nielsen Claritas is committed to continuously learning how to incorporate credible new data resources into the Claritas Update Demographics™ in ways that innovate and improve estimation techniques.
Hodges said the update covers many geographic levels including national, state, county, place (city/town), census tract and block group. Data are also available for commonly-used areas such as metropolitan areas, ZIP Codes and media areas such as Designated Market Areas (DMAs).
"Because the demographic update is produced for small areas, it can be easily aggregated to custom geographic areas specified by the user," he said.
The first wave of data in the update is now available on the Nielsen Claritas data product websites -- Nielsen Claritas SiteReports.com and Nielsen Claritas MarketPlace -- and consists of 18 reports and 15 maps.
For more information about the 2009 Claritas Update Demographics, visit the Request Information page at claritas.com.
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Top 20 Counties With the Highest Percentage Increase in
Median Home Value From 2000-07
Median
Home Median
Median Value - Home
Home 2007 Value -
Value - American 2009
2000 Community Nielsen Percent Percent
Census Survey Claritas Change Change
COUNTY NAME Estimate Estimate Estimate 2000-07 2007-09
----------- -------- -------- -------- ------- -------
1. San Bernardino County, CA $124,854 $387,000 $266,639 210.0 -31.1
2. Riverside County, CA $134,998 $406,300 $282,870 201.0 -30.4
3. Prince William County, VA $147,870 $435,100 $347,097 194.2 -20.2
4. Broward County, FL $102,817 $302,500 $247,213 194.2 -18.3
5. District of Columbia $153,467 $450,900 $358,329 193.8 -20.5
6. Los Angeles County, CA $201,386 $589,100 $470,287 192.5 -20.2
7. Merced County, CA $110,862 $323,700 $201,905 192.0 -37.6
8. Stanislaus County, CA $123,856 $358,500 $241,677 189.4 -32.6
9. Fresno County, CA $102,648 $296,300 $228,656 188.7 -22.8
10. Kern County, CA $ 89,446 $256,800 $193,787 187.1 -24.5
11. San Joaquin County, CA $139,756 $399,500 $255,450 185.9 -36.1
12. Miami-Dade County, FL $113,203 $318,100 $260,777 181.0 -18.0
13. Collier County, FL $148,972 $411,900 $303,426 176.5 -26.3
14. Solano County, CA $174,948 $479,000 $345,199 174.1 -28.0
15. Loudoun County, VA $202,263 $544,400 $443,779 169.2 -18.5
16. Palm Beach County, FL $114,988 $308,900 $239,690 168.6 -22.4
17. Ventura County, CA $238,776 $641,300 $489,577 168.6 -23.7
18. Orange County, CA $252,960 $670,600 $527,064 165.1 -21.4
19. San Luis Obispo
County, CA $218,558 $578,900 $466,900 164.9 -19.3
20. St. Lucie County, FL $ 81,491 $214,900 $158,067 163.7 -26.4
Top 20 Counties With the Highest Percentage Decrease in
Median Home Value From 2007-09
Median
Home Median
Median Value - Home
Home 2007 Value -
Value - American 2009
2000 Community Nielsen Percent Percent
Census Survey Claritas Change Change
COUNTY NAME Estimate Estimate Estimate 2000-07 2007-09
----------- -------- -------- --------- ------- -------
1. Merced County, CA $110,862 $323,700 $201,905 192.0 -37.6
2. San Joaquin County, CA $139,756 $399,500 $255,450 185.9 -36.1
3. Stanislaus County, CA $123,856 $358,500 $241,677 189.4 -32.6
4. San Bernardino County, CA $124,854 $387,000 $266,639 210.0 -31.1
5. Riverside County, CA $134,998 $406,300 $282,870 201.0 -30.4
6. Sacramento County, CA $141,145 $370,600 $260,295 162.6 -29.8
7. Monterey County, CA $254,767 $658,700 $467,946 158.5 -29.0
8. Lee County, FL $ 96,711 $241,100 $172,677 149.3 -28.4
9. Solano County, CA $174,948 $479,500 $345,199 174.1 -28.0
10. Placer County, CA $208,781 $483,700 $353,372 131.7 -26.9
11. St. Lucie County, FL $ 81,491 $214,900 $158,067 163.7 -26.4
12. Collier County, FL $148,972 $411,900 $303,426 176.5 -26.3
13. San Diego County, CA $212,045 $556,500 $412,788 162.4 -25.8
14. Pinal County, AZ $ 76,273 $197,500 $147,063 158.9 -25.5
15. Clark County, NV $132,186 $315,300 $235,928 138.5 -25.2
16. Kern County, CA $ 89,446 $256,800 $193,787 187.1 -24.5
17. Manatee County, FL $ 96,013 $238,100 $180,776 148.0 -24.1
18. Ventura County, CA $238,776 $641,300 $489,577 168.6 -23.7
19. Santa Barbara County, CA $264,132 $641,800 $490,414 143.0 -23.6
20. Sarasota County, FL $111,968 $248,400 $190,965 121.8 -23.1
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