Question 1

What is housing cost burden?

Accepted Answer

Housing cost burden means spending 30% or more of household income on housing costs, including rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and insurance. Households spending more than 50% are considered severely cost burdened. The Census HTOPS survey measures whether renters and mortgage holders are current on their payments.

Question 2

What percentage of renters are cost burdened?

Accepted Answer

According to Census HTOPS data, 8.87% of renters report being behind on rent payments. The broader measure of cost burden (spending 30%+ on housing) affects roughly half of all renters nationally according to Census ACS data.

Question 3

Which states have the highest housing costs?

Accepted Answer

At the regional level, the Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) has the highest rate of renters behind on payments at 21.23%, followed by the South Atlantic at 15.11%. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New York consistently rank among the highest-cost states.

Question 4

What does behind on rent mean?

Accepted Answer

Being behind on rent means a renter has not made their rent payment on time. In the HTOPS survey, 8.87% of renters reported they were not current on their rent. This is a measure of acute housing distress, distinct from the broader concept of cost burden.

Housing Cost Burden by State

Renters Behind on Payments by Region

Top 15 States by Housing Cost Burden (FRED)

Housing Tenure in America

Renters

Homeowners