The elderly, especially the rural elderly, are more likely to have housing problems than other groups. The number of rural elderly households increased 16 percent between 1974 and 1979 compared with an increase of only 10 percent for all U.S. households. In 1979, 15 percent of U.S. rural elderly heads of household lived in inadequate housing compared with 8 percent of the urban elderly. Inadequate housing has one or more of the following flaws, among others: incomplete plumbing facilities, incomplete kitchen facilities, leaking roof, holes in walls or ceilings, and exposed wiring. In addition, one out of five elderly homeowners in rural areas and about half of elderly renters had trouble affording their homes.