The effects of the housing crash are clearly visible in census data for Ohio and the region.

The homeownership rate declined from 2000 in Ohio and in the largest cities in Butler County, according to data released today from the 2010 Census.

The state saw a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from 2000 to hit 67.6 percent of homes occupied by their owners. Warren County, however, saw increases in homeownership.

Housing units occupied by renters are increasing.

“I think it’s driven by the rough economy that we have here,” said David Marshall, assistant professor of finance for Miami University.

Imagine homeowners who couldn’t afford their payments due to unemployment or underemployment, he said. They have several options: try to sell their home in a rough housing market; give it to the bank and face foreclosure; or rent the property, keeping the house and getting something for it.

Then, if homeowners chooses to rent out, they have to move somewhere, maybe to rent themselves or live with other family members, Marshall said.

In Butler County, Middletown showed the largest drop in homeownership, a decline of 6.2 percentage points from 2000 to April 1, 2010, when the Census was taken. Data also show the city saw population declines during the last decade, from 51,605 to 48,694 residents.

Hamilton, the county’s largest city, saw a 4.8 percent drop in homeownership over the past 10 years, during which time it also experienced a population increase. Hamilton went from 24,188 occupied housing units, with 60.7 percent lived in by owners, to 24,658 occupied units, 55.9 percent lived in by owners, according to the Census Bureau.

Along with decreased homeownership rates, fewer people are seeking to become first-time homeowners through Neighborhood Housing Services compared to before the economic crisis, said Don Gardner, a foreclosure/default intervention counselor for the agency that serves Butler County.

Furthermore, of the potential home buyers coming to Neighborhood Housing Services in Hamilton, Gardner said they are faced with more stringent criteria to get approved for a loan.

High rates of homeownership are good for a city, as Gardner said owners tend to be more vested in the community.

“Owning the home is more likely to spur them on to make consumer purchases to maintain that home,” Gardner said. “I think owning a home doesn’t just give them a feeling of self pride, it gives the economy a boost.”

Renters depend on landlords for upkeep, who typically want to pay as little as possible, he added.

As the economy recovers, Marshall anticipates homeownership picking up, but he said it likely wouldn’t reach previous levels.