The Biden Administration issued in early August 2021 a new eviction moratorium. This one bans landlords in certain areas of the country that are struggling with COVID-19 outbreaks from evicting tenants through October 3. The administration said evictions could have a negative effect on efforts to contain the virus. Many Americans have struggled to keep up with their housing payments in the wake of COVID-19.
According to a Harvard University study, 30.2% of all U.S. households were either moderately or severely burdened by housing costs in 2021. Moderately burdened households spend 30%-50% of their income on housing costs, while severely burdened households spend over half of their income on housing. In some major metro areas, far more households are housing cost burdened than the average share nationwide.
To determine the cities where the largest share of households cannot afford their homes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on housing cost burdens from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University’s “The State of the Nation’s Housing 2021” report. The 100 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. were ranked based on the percentage of households paying 30% or more of their monthly income on housing costs.
The 43 metro areas where more than 30% of households are burdened by housing costs are wholly or primarily located in 19 different states, as well as Washington, D.C. California has more metro areas on this list than any other state, with 10. Texas has the second most with six, and Florida has five.
Regionally, there are 17 Southern cities on this list, as well as 16 Western cities and nine Northeastern cities. The Chicago metro area is the only place in the Midwest in which more than 30% of households pay at least 30% of their incomes on housing.
In spite of these relatively high housing cost burdens, people still flocked to these areas. From 2010 to 2020, the U.S. population increased by 6.7%. In that same time, the population increased by a higher percentage in 27 of the 43 metro areas on the list. These are the cities Americans are flocking to.
Click here to see 43 cities where most people can’t afford their homes.
Click here to see our methodology.
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
43. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.9%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,416
> Median household income: $81,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +3.3%
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
42. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.8%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,850
> Median household income: $104,500
> Population change, 2010-2020: +11.9%
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
41. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.7%
> Median monthly housing costs: $675
> Median household income: $41,200
> Population change, 2010-2020: +13.0%
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
40. Worcester, MA-CT
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.5%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,331
> Median household income: $76,500
> Population change, 2010-2020: +3.2%
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Source: Kruck20 / Getty Images
39. Greensboro-High Point, NC
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.5%
> Median monthly housing costs: $870
> Median household income: $50,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +7.2%
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
38. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,050
> Median household income: $60,700
> Population change, 2010-2020: +20.9%
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Source: RobHainer / Getty Images
37. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 69.0%
> Median monthly housing costs: $900
> Median household income: $51,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +23.7%
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
36. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.8%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,198
> Median household income: $68,800
> Population change, 2010-2020: +20.8%
Source: SWKrullImaging / Getty Images
35. Colorado Springs, CO
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.5%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,337
> Median household income: $72,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +16.8%
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Source: RudyBalasko / Getty Images
34. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.5%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,300
> Median household income: $75,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +-0.6%
Source: dszc / Getty Images
33. Austin-Round Rock, TX
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,447
> Median household income: $80,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +33.7%
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Source: f11photo / Getty Images
32. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,281
> Median household income: $71,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +20.9%
Source: aiisha5 / Getty Images
31. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,750
> Median household income: $93,400
> Population change, 2010-2020: +16.8%
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
30. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,570
> Median household income: $84,500
> Population change, 2010-2020: +17.6%
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
29. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.1%
> Median monthly housing costs: $952
> Median household income: $52,400
> Population change, 2010-2020: +2.5%
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
28. El Paso, TX
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 68.1%
> Median monthly housing costs: $844
> Median household income: $48,800
> Population change, 2010-2020: +5.2%
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Source: S. Greg Panosian / Getty Images
27. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.8%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,285
> Median household income: $74,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +2.4%
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
26. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.7%
> Median monthly housing costs: $970
> Median household income: $55,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +6.9%
Source: jose1983 / Getty Images
25. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.7%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,475
> Median household income: $77,200
> Population change, 2010-2020: +12.8%
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
24. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.6%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,080
> Median household income: $57,200
> Population change, 2010-2020: +16.5%
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
23. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.5%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,340
> Median household income: $76,380
> Population change, 2010-2020: +-0.9%
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
22. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,235
> Median household income: $70,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +1.4%
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Source: Kruck20 / Getty Images
21. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 67.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $979
> Median household income: $54,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +15.2%
Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images
20. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 66.8%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,270
> Median household income: $67,600
> Population change, 2010-2020: +3.8%
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
19. Springfield, MA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 66.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,078
> Median household income: $62,150
> Population change, 2010-2020: +0.4%
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
18. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 66.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,799
> Median household income: $93,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +7.2%
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Source: SpVVK / Getty Images
17. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 66.1%
> Median monthly housing costs: $2,451
> Median household income: $129,400
> Population change, 2010-2020: +7.3%
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
16. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 66.1%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,854
> Median household income: $97,800
> Population change, 2010-2020: +2.8%
Source: stellalevi / Getty Images
15. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 65.1%
> Median monthly housing costs: $2,183
> Median household income: $113,200
> Population change, 2010-2020: +8.3%
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Source: Arrangements-Photography / Getty Images
14. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 64.9%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,230
> Median household income: $61,200
> Population change, 2010-2020: +23.7%
Source: JPosvancz / Getty Images
13. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 64.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,520
> Median household income: $76,900
> Population change, 2010-2020: +10.5%
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
12. Stockton-Lodi, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 63.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,417
> Median household income: $70,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +12.1%
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
11. New Haven-Milford, CT
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 63.1%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,360
> Median household income: $69,004
> Population change, 2010-2020: +-1.2%
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
10. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 62.7%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,210
> Median household income: $61,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +18.7%
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Source: gnagel / Getty Images
9. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 62.0%
> Median monthly housing costs: $2,023
> Median household income: $92,500
> Population change, 2010-2020: +2.2%
Source: MattGush / Getty Images
8. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 61.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,500
> Median household income: $70,500
> Population change, 2010-2020: +10.7%
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Source: GCShutter / Getty Images
7. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 60.7%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,687
> Median household income: $82,900
> Population change, 2010-2020: +1.2%
Source: LPETTET / Getty Images
6. Bakersfield, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 60.6%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,070
> Median household income: $53,800
> Population change, 2010-2020: +7.4%
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
5. Fresno, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 60.2%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,150
> Median household income: $58,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +7.6%
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Source: sorincolac / Getty Images
4. Urban Honolulu, HI
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 59.9%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,844
> Median household income: $87,110
> Population change, 2010-2020: +1.1%
Source: dancestrokes / Getty Images
3. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 58.3%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,870
> Median household income: $83,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +7.7%
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Source: ULora / Getty Images
2. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 56.5%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,380
> Median household income: $59,600
> Population change, 2010-2020: +10.9%
Source: Melpomenem / Getty Images
1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
> Households able to afford monthly payments: 55.9%
> Median monthly housing costs: $1,780
> Median household income: $77,000
> Population change, 2010-2020: +2.2%
Methodology:
To determine the cities where the largest share of households cannot afford their homes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on housing cost burdens from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University’s “The State of the Nation’s Housing 2021” report. The 100 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. were ranked based on the percentage of households paying 30% or more of their monthly income on housing costs. Supplemental data on poverty rate and median household income came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
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