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Housing Affordability Burden For U.S. Cities

Housing and income data show cities with low housing affordability.

By general rule-of-thumb, housing costs should not exceed 30 percent of a household's total income.

But in many cities across the country, families spend a sizable share of income on rent, mortgage payment, utilities and other housing-related expenses. As housing costs climb in some areas, wages have failed to keep pace.

The following table shows, for cities with at least 100,000 residents, median gross rents as a percentage of household income and the share of rental households where rent and utility costs exceed the 30-percent of income standard:

Mike Maciag is Data Editor for GOVERNING.