Comparing Home Prices in the 1930 and 1940 Censuses

After doing a lot of 1940 census research on my ancestors and other relatives last week, I started comparing information given in the 1940 census with the previous census of 1930. I was immediately struck by the sharp decline in home values from 1930 to 1940. But we know this was the time of the Great Depression.

My great grandfather, August Beine, owned a home at 2860 Arlington Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. The 1930 census shows the home valued at $10,000. The same home was valued at $2500 in the 1940 census.

My mother's great aunt, Sadie Nyhof, and her husband Anton were living at 5974 Romaine Place in St. Louis in 1930. Their home was valued at $10,000. Anton died in 1935. Sadie was still living in the house in 1940, which was valued at $2500. In both censuses, another family rented part of the house. The rent was $47/month in 1930 and $27.50/month in 1940.

These examples show how the value of two homes declined significantly during the Great Depression of the 1930s, a period my parents and grandparents lived through. The 1930 and 1940 censuses can provide intriguing snapshots of this time in our history. Along with home values (or monthly rent), the 1940 census also shows salaries, education (years of school completed, including college) and other interesting information. What have you found?

For information on the 1940 US Census and where to find the records online, see: Compact Guide to the 1940 Census

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Sources:

Beine family
1940 US Census, Missouri, St. Louis City, ED 96-519D, Sheet 6A (line 32); enumerated April 18, 1940.
1930 US Census, Missouri, St. Louis City, ED 96-103, Sheet 18B (line 79); enumerated April 6, 1930.

Nyhof family (and renter)
1940 US Census, Missouri, St. Louis City, ED 96-764, Sheet 10B (lines 57 and 59); enumerated April 11-12, 1940.
1930 US Census, Missouri, St. Louis City, ED 96-255, Sheet 7A (lines 20 and 23); enumerated April 7, 1930.

1940 census records listed above were accessed from 1940census.archives.gov. 1930 census records listed above were viewed at the Rocky Mountain (Denver) National Archives branch on microfilm and online at Ancestry.com.

Cool Stuff in the 1940 Census

I've been looking over the basic information given for each person and household in the 1940 U.S. federal census (due to be released on April 2, 2012). Some of it is the same or similar as the information given in the 1930 census. But three items from the 1940 census stood out as being, well, kinda cool...

"Enter X after name of person furnishing information."
(The x has a circle around it.)
For the first time, we'll get to see who gave the information to the census enumerator. And if that person was not a member of the household, the enumerator was instructed: "If you find it necessary to obtain the information from a person who is not a member of the household, write the name of this person in the left-hand margin, opposite the entries for the household, thus: 'Information from John Brown, neighbor.'" Very cool.

"In What Place Did This Person Live on April 1, 1935?"
The census form states: "...For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, and State, as directed in the Instructions. (Enter actual place of residence, which may differ from mail address.)" Column 19 in this section asked for: "State (or Territory or foreign country)." We'll now know where someone was living half way between the 1930 and 1940 censuses, including if they were living outside the USA. Pretty cool.

"Income in 1939"
Ever wonder how much your ancestors made? The 1940 census should tell you. From the census form: "Amount of money wages or salary received (including commissions)." And: "Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary? (Yes or No)." Leaving you to guess what those other sources might be. Also, the value of the home (if owned) or the monthly rent (if rented) is given in the "household data" section. So you'll get a little glimpse into your ancestor's economic life. Definitely cool.

Cool 1940 Census resources: Compact Guide to the 1940 Census

Enumerator instructions quoted above are from: 1940 Census: Instructions to Enumerators (large PDF file)

The 1940 Census: Helpful Resources

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census was made available digitally on the Internet beginning April 2, 2012. Since then separate indexes were created by FamilySearch volunteers and Ancestry.com. Here are some resources to help you learn more about the 1940 Census and where to find the records online...

Where to Find the 1940 Census Online
The 1940 Census is available for free online at:

1940 Census Records at FamilySearch (free; indexed for all states and some territories)

Information Given in the 1940 Census
For a summary of the information given in the 1940 Census see:
Compact Guide to the 1940 Census

You can read the detailed instructions given to the census enumerators here:
1940 Census: Instructions to Enumerators 

Blank 1940 Census Form
The U.S. Census Bureau has a high resolution PDF of a blank 1940 census form. You can download it from:
Blank 1940 Census Form

This post was updated on 17 September 2012.

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