U.S. Housing Least Affordable in History

American households are spending more of their income on housing than at any other point in recorded history.

1 minute read

December 7, 2022, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Gray houses under construction

Kwangmoozaa / Housing construction

According to an article in The Real Deal, housing in the United States is less affordable than ever. “In September 2022, a median-income household would have had to spend a little over 46 percent of its income to afford a median-priced home. That’s a 14-point spike from September 2021, when a household had to spend about a third of its income to afford a home in its community.” This remains the case in all but one U.S. metro areas with a population of more than 500,000. 

California takes the top five spots on the list of most unaffordable metro areas, with the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area, where it would cost a median-income household 66 percent of their income to buy a home, coming in sixth.

The cities with the steepest declines in affordability, the article notes, are in the Southeast, where housing prices were historically low.

Sunday, December 4, 2022 in The Real Deal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Legislature Passes Rent Increase Cap

A bill that caps rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 29 - Washington State Standard

Low view of Glendale Narrows section of Los Angeles River with concrete bottom and cloudy storm sky over head.

From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience

Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.

April 29 - The Planning Report

Grandparents sitting on bench with young girl and boy, girl holding ball and boy holding ukelele.

New Mexico Aging Department Commits to Helping Seniors Age ‘In Place’ and ‘Autonomously’ in New Draft Plan

As New Mexico’s population of seniors continues to grow, the state’s aging department is proposing expanded initiatives to help seniors maintain their autonomy while also supporting family caregivers.

April 29 - Source NM