The recently released “The State of the Nation’s Housing 2011” report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University has been high on our reading list since it was issued.  The report covers the U.S. single family housing market and offers insights which help to frame up the difference and contrary trend we find in Downtown Boston. Over the next couple of days, I'll highlight some key facts that I thought were most useful.  Starting with demographic housing trends:

• Demographic housing trends will continue to influence the housing market as Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) age-in-place.  By 2020 the number of households over the age of 65 will increase by 8.7 million.

• One in three heads of households aged 65-74 in 2007 reported having moved in the previous 10 years, many to smaller homes.  If Baby Boomers match this mobility rate, some 3.8 Million will downsize their homes over the coming decade.

• The enormous Echo-Boomers (born after 1986) are just beginning to form new households.  This group is less predictable than previous generations yet will have an important impact on housing markets.  There is reason to believe that the Echo-Boomers will be large enough to boost the number of young adult households in 2010-2020 and in turn demand for starter apartments and single family homes.

• The number of households under age 35 will grow to nearly 26.5 Million by 2020.  Household growth should hit one million per year, on average, over the next decade.