Distribution of households paying more or less than the recommended affordable share of income
The census defines those paying above 30% of their household income on housing cost as “housing-cost burdened”. The chart below reflects the percentage of renters and owners that are housing-cost burdened. Owners are broken out into owners with mortgages and owners without mortgages. Owner costs may include things like HOA fees and other homeowner related costs. Renter costs are calculated as gross rent by the Census bureau*.
Source: Census Bureau, 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. Selected Housing Characteristics.
Notes: *Gross Rent is the amount of the contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, and water and sewer) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.) if these are paid for by the renter (or paid for the renter by someone else). Gross rent is intended to eliminate differentials which result from varying practices with respect to the inclusion of utilities and fuels as part of the rental payment.