A condominium fee normally is charged monthly to the owners of the individual condominium units by the condominium owners' association to cover operating, maintenance, administrative, and improvement costs of the common property (grounds, halls, lobby, parking areas, laundry rooms, swimming pool, etc.). The costs for utilities and/or fuels may be included in the condominium fee if the units do not have separate meters.

Data on condominium fees may include real estate taxes and/or insurance payments for the common property, but do not include real estate taxes or fire, hazard, and flood insurance reported in Housing Questions 17 and 18 (in the 2010 American Community Survey) for the individual unit.

Amounts reported were the regular monthly payment, even if paid by someone outside the household or remain unpaid. Costs were estimated as closely as possible when exact costs were not known.

The data from this question were added to payments for mortgages (both first, second, home equity loans, and other junior mortgages); real estate taxes; fire hazard, and flood insurance payments; and utilities and fuels to derive "Selected Monthly Owner Costs" and "Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income" for condominium owners. These data provide information on the cost of home ownership and offer an excellent measure of housing affordability and excessive shelter costs.

By listing the condominium status and fee separately on the questionnaire, the data also serve to improving the accuracy of estimating monthly housing costs for mortgaged owners.