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Data Dictionary: Census 1970 on 2010 Geographies
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Data Source: Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau
Table: T117. Average $ Contract Rent by Race for Renter-Occupied Units [8]
Universe: Renter-occupied Units for Which Rent is Tabulated
Relevant Documentation:
Excerpt from: Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau; 1970 Census Users’ Guide; U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1970.
  1970 Census Users' Guide - Part I -> Part Ill. Housing Census Concepts (Concepts 150 through 250) -> Financial characteristics of housing units -> Contract rent
Contract rent
The monthly dollar rent agreed upon or (for vacant units) the monthly dollar rent asked at the time of enumeration, regardless of any furnishings, utilities, or services that were included. Respondents were to indicate monthly contract rent to the nearest dollar. (If rent was paid by the week or some other time period, respondents were to indicate the amount and the time period so that their monthly contract rent can be entered by census employee' s.)

Contract rent is tabulated by several distributions; for example, less than $30, $30-39, $90-99, $100-119, $120-149, $150-199, $200-249, $250-299, $300 or more. The category no cash rent is also included in tabulations of contract rent for all renter-occupied units. (Census samples basic records carry dollar amounts on contract rent from $1 to $999. )

Total, median, and average contract rents are calculated for rental units.

Vacant units for rent are also classified as with all utilities included in rent and with some or no utilities included in rent.

Gross rent
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Gross rent is calculated for renter-occupied units rented for cash rent (with the exclusions noted above for rent). It represents the contract rent plus the average monthly cost of utilities (water, electricity, gas, ) and fuels, to extent that these are paid for by the renter (or paid for by a relative, welfare agency, or friend) in addition to the rent. Gross rent thus eliminates differentials which result from varying practices with respect to the inclusion of utilities and fuel in contract rent.
In 1960, respondents were to indicate if they paid for electricity, gas, water or fuels (oil, coal wood, kerosene) in addition to rent; and if yes, to indicate the estimated average monthly dollar cost for electricity, gas, water, and the total yearly cost for fuel. In 1970, respondents were to answer similarly but further specify if they did not use particular utilities or fuels.

Gross rent is calculated from this information. Gross rent is tabulated by several distributions; for example, less than $30, $30-39... $90-99, $100-119, $120-149, $150-199, $200-249, $250-299, $300 or more. (Census basic records carry dollar amounts ' of gross rent up to $999.)
Total, median, and average gross rent are calculated.

Excerpt from: Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau; 1970 Census Users’ Guide; U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1970.
  1970 Census Users' Guide - Part I -> Part II. Population Census Concepts (Concepts 50 through 149) -> Race -> Race
Race
refers to the division of the population into white, Negro, and several other racial categories. These racial categories do not correspond to strict scientific definitions of biological stock. Persons were asked to indicate their race by selecting one of the following: White; Negro or Black; Indian (American); Japanese; Chinese; Filipino; Hawaiian; Korean; Other (specify). (In Alaska, Hawaiian and Korean were omitted and Aleut and Eskimo were added.)

Written entries in the other category are checked against a list of possible written entries.

This list indicates whether the written entry should remain in the other category or be correctly classified in one of the printed categories. If the written entry does not appear on the list, the entry remains in the other category.

White population
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Includes persons who indicated their race as white. Also includes persons who indicated the other race category and furnished written entries that should correctly be classified in the white category.

All other races population
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Includes all persons who did not indicate their race as white or did not have their entry classified as white.

Negro and other races population
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Includes persons who indicated their race as one of the following:

Negro
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Includes persons who indicated their race as Negro or Black. Also includes persons who indicated the other race category and furnished a written entry that should be classified as Negro or Black.

American Indian
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Includes persons who indicated their race as Indian (American) or reported an Indian tribe. In 1970 persons who indicated their race as American Indian were also asked to indicate their tribe.

Japanese
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Includes persons who indicated their race as Japanese and persons with written entries that should be classified as Japanese.

Chinese
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Includes persons who indicated their race as Chinese and persons with written entries that should be classified as Chinese.

Filipino
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Includes persons who indicated their race as Filipino and persons with written entries that should be classified as Filipino.

Hawaiian and Korean
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Includes persons in all the States (excluding Alaska) who indicated their race as Hawaiian or Korean. Also includes persons in the States who had written entries that should be classified as Hawaiian or Korean. In Alaska, persons who are Hawaiian and Korean are included in the other races category.

Aleut and Eskimo
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Includes persons in the State of Alaska who indicated their race as Aleut or Eskimo. In the other 49 States persons who indicated Aleut and Eskimo are included in the other race category.

Other races population
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Includes persons who indicated the other race category and had a written entry that is not classified as another category.

During publication this is often considered as a residual category and includes statistics for all races not shown separately.

Mixed parentage
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Persons indicated racial mixture are classified according to the race of the father, if he was present in the household and his race was one of the races entered for the person. If the fathers race cannot be determined, the first race listed is used.

Excerpt from: Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau; 1970 Census Users’ Guide; U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1970.
  1970 Census Users' Guide - Part I -> Part Ill. Housing Census Concepts (Concepts 150 through 250) -> Occupancy status -> Occupancy status -> Occupied housing units (Households)
Occupied housing units (Households)
A unit is considered occupied if it was the usual place of residence of the person(s) living in it at the time of enumeration. (See Concept No. 52, place of residence.) Included are units occupied by persons only temporarily absent (on vacation, etc. ) and units occupied by persons with no usual place of residence (for example, migratory workers).