Housing Affordability in California Households with a High Housing Cost Burden: 2013 Definition: Estimated percentage of households that spend 30% or more of household income on housing costs. The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development considers housing "affordable" if total expenses (rent or mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, utilities, and other related payments) account for less than 30% of total household income. Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (Sept. 2014). Households with a High Housing Cost Burden: 2011-2013; showing Counties What It Is Kidsdata.org includes three indicators related to housing affordability: Fair Market Rent (FMR): The FMR is set at the 40th percentile rent of standard quality units, indicating that 40% of housing rented for less than the FMR. Households with a high housing cost burden: This is the estimated percentage of households that spend 30% or more of household income on housing costs. Children living in crowded households: This is the estimated percentage of children under age 18 living in households with more than one person per room of the house. Rooms include living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, finished recreation rooms, enclosed porches, and lodger s rooms. Why This Topic Is Important California housing is among the most costly in the nation, so finding affordable housing is a significant challenge for many middle- and lowincome families (1). Housing typically is considered affordable if it comprises 30% or less of a family s income (2). According to 2013 estimates, only 37% of low-income children in the U.S. and 24% of low-income children in California lived in affordable housing (3). Families that spend more than half of their income on housing tend to spend much less than other families on essential items, such as food, health care, and clothing (1, 2). Low-income parents with high housing costs are more likely to report that their children have fair or poor health than low-income parents in more affordable housing (2). Also, research has shown that unaffordable or unstable housing can diminish a child s opportunities for educational success by increasing the chance that he or she will have to move, change schools, and disrupt instruction (4). In some cases, a lack of affordable housing can result in families living in crowded households; studies have shown a link between residential crowding and the prevalence of certain infectious diseases, poor educational attainment, and psychological distress (1). Definition: Estimated percentage of households that spend 30% or more of household income on housing costs. The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development considers housing "affordable" if total expenses (rent or mortgage payments, taxes, How Children Are Faring In 2013, an estimated 45% of California
insurance, utilities, and other related payments) account for less than 30% of total household income. Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (Oct. 2014). Children in Crowded Households: 2011-2013 Definition: Estimated percentage of children under age 18 living in households with more than one person per room of the house. Rooms include living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, finished recreation rooms, enclosed porches, and lodger s rooms. Data Source: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey microdata files (Mar. 2015). Fair Market Rent (2 Bedroom Units): 2015; showing Counties households experienced a high housing cost burden (i.e., they spent 30% or more of income on housing). This figure has held relatively steady in recent years and has been consistently higher than national estimates. In 2013, an estimated 28% of California children under age 18 lived in crowded households, approximately twice the national estimate of 14% (crowded households are defined as having more than one person per "room," which includes living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, finished recreation rooms, enclosed porches, and lodger s rooms). Similar to other housing and economic measures, estimates vary at the local level; for example, among California counties with at least 20,000 residents in 2011-13, the percentage of children living in crowded households ranged from 10% to 38%. On average, Fair Market Rents in California counties have increased by almost 70% since 2000. Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment ranges from $643 in Modoc to $2,062 in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties, according to 2015 data. View references for this text and additional research on this topic: http://www.kidsdata.org/topic/41/housingaffordability/summary
Definition: Fair market rents are gross rent estimates that include the cost of rent and all utilities except telephone service. The current definition used for most areas is the 40th percentile rent, the dollar amount below which 40% of the standard quality rental housing units are rented. Data Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent (Oct. 2014).
Fair Market Rent, by Unit Size: 2010 to 2015 (Unit Size: 3 Selected) Alameda 1 Bedroom $1,162 $1,176 $1,183 $1,082 $1,255 $1,260 2 Bedrooms $1,377 $1,393 $1,402 $1,361 $1,578 $1,585 3 Bedrooms $1,867 $1,889 $1,901 $1,901 $2,204 $2,213 Alpine 1 Bedroom $720 $738 $679 $674 $675 $605 2 Bedrooms $918 $941 $866 $912 $913 $818 3 Bedrooms $1,309 $1,342 $1,235 $1,136 $1,137 $1,019 Amador 1 Bedroom $812 $833 $829 $800 $775 $729 2 Bedrooms $1,065 $1,093 $1,088 $1,082 $1,048 $986 3 Bedrooms $1,547 $1,588 $1,581 $1,436 $1,391 $1,308 Butte
1 Bedroom $706 $725 $743 $666 $646 $660 2 Bedrooms $852 $874 $896 $878 $851 $870 3 Bedrooms $1,201 $1,232 $1,263 $1,253 $1,215 $1,242 Calaveras 1 Bedroom $708 $726 $708 $732 $736 $699 2 Bedrooms $851 $873 $851 $923 $928 $882 3 Bedrooms $1,241 $1,273 $1,241 $1,360 $1,367 $1,300 Colusa 1 Bedroom $647 $663 $581 $566 $600 $573 2 Bedrooms $841 $862 $756 $766 $812 $775 3 Bedrooms $1,086 $1,113 $976 $1,129 $1,197 $1,142 Contra Costa 1 Bedroom $1,162 $1,176 $1,183 $1,082 $1,255 $1,260 2 Bedrooms $1,377 $1,393 $1,402 $1,361 $1,578 $1,585
3 Bedrooms $1,867 $1,889 $1,901 $1,901 $2,204 $2,213 Del Norte 1 Bedroom $640 $656 $593 $633 $643 $617 2 Bedrooms $828 $849 $767 $856 $870 $835 3 Bedrooms $1,206 $1,236 $1,117 $1,261 $1,282 $1,230 El Dorado 1 Bedroom $852 $861 $837 $855 $854 $806 2 Bedrooms $1,039 $1,050 $1,021 $1,073 $1,072 $1,012 3 Bedrooms $1,499 $1,515 $1,473 $1,581 $1,580 $1,491 Fresno 1 Bedroom $711 $724 $702 $695 $655 $676 2 Bedrooms $840 $855 $829 $878 $827 $853 3 Bedrooms $1,222 $1,244 $1,206 $1,234 $1,162 $1,199
Glenn 1 Bedroom $566 $581 $562 $574 $609 $574 2 Bedrooms $745 $764 $739 $776 $824 $777 3 Bedrooms $969 $994 $961 $1,119 $1,189 $1,121 Humboldt 1 Bedroom $686 $705 $670 $722 $731 $692 2 Bedrooms $903 $927 $882 $973 $986 $933 3 Bedrooms $1,295 $1,329 $1,265 $1,434 $1,453 $1,375 Imperial 1 Bedroom $685 $703 $609 $636 $626 $579 2 Bedrooms $845 $867 $751 $822 $809 $748 3 Bedrooms $1,163 $1,193 $1,033 $1,211 $1,192 $1,102 Inyo 1 Bedroom $608 $624 $606 $703 $809 $758
2 Bedrooms $791 $812 $788 $836 $962 $901 3 Bedrooms $1,152 $1,183 $1,148 $1,232 $1,418 $1,328 Kern 1 Bedroom $670 $662 $665 $614 $623 $636 2 Bedrooms $799 $789 $793 $804 $815 $832 3 Bedrooms $1,155 $1,140 $1,146 $1,179 $1,195 $1,220 Kings 1 Bedroom $680 $697 $702 $575 $657 $596 2 Bedrooms $790 $810 $815 $778 $889 $807 3 Bedrooms $1,152 $1,181 $1,188 $1,106 $1,264 $1,147 Lake 1 Bedroom $680 $697 $687 $650 $648 $630 2 Bedrooms $885 $908 $895 $879 $877 $853 3 Bedrooms $1,282 $1,316 $1,297 $1,295 $1,292 $1,257
Lassen 1 Bedroom $660 $677 $675 $740 $698 $683 2 Bedrooms $867 $889 $887 $1,001 $945 $924 3 Bedrooms $1,261 $1,293 $1,290 $1,400 $1,321 $1,292 Los Angeles 1 Bedroom $1,137 $1,173 $1,159 $1,101 $1,083 $1,103 2 Bedrooms $1,420 $1,465 $1,447 $1,421 $1,398 $1,424 3 Bedrooms $1,907 $1,967 $1,943 $1,921 $1,890 $1,926 Madera 1 Bedroom $674 $691 $629 $636 $580 $651 2 Bedrooms $860 $882 $802 $861 $785 $881 3 Bedrooms $1,250 $1,282 $1,166 $1,251 $1,140 $1,280 Marin 1 Bedroom $1,406 $1,465 $1,522 $1,423 $1,551 $1,635
2 Bedrooms $1,760 $1,833 $1,905 $1,795 $1,956 $2,062 3 Bedrooms $2,350 $2,447 $2,543 $2,438 $2,657 $2,801 Mariposa 1 Bedroom $720 $738 $652 $614 $572 $621 2 Bedrooms $918 $941 $831 $831 $774 $840 3 Bedrooms $1,309 $1,342 $1,185 $1,035 $964 $1,046 Mendocino 1 Bedroom $797 $818 $799 $749 $702 $869 2 Bedrooms $969 $994 $971 $989 $927 $1,147 3 Bedrooms $1,323 $1,357 $1,325 $1,363 $1,277 $1,580 Merced 1 Bedroom $658 $674 $649 $587 $604 $577 2 Bedrooms $799 $819 $789 $772 $795 $759 3 Bedrooms $1,139 $1,168 $1,125 $1,138 $1,171 $1,118
Modoc 1 Bedroom $617 $632 $446 $528 $537 $542 2 Bedrooms $807 $827 $584 $626 $637 $643 3 Bedrooms $1,150 $1,178 $832 $922 $939 $948 Mono 1 Bedroom $911 $934 $959 $1,015 $1,056 $962 2 Bedrooms $1,163 $1,193 $1,225 $1,203 $1,252 $1,141 3 Bedrooms $1,593 $1,634 $1,678 $1,498 $1,559 $1,421 Monterey 1 Bedroom $977 $951 $1,034 $971 $980 $987 2 Bedrooms $1,122 $1,092 $1,187 $1,223 $1,234 $1,244 3 Bedrooms $1,585 $1,543 $1,677 $1,784 $1,800 $1,814 Napa
1 Bedroom $1,040 $1,086 $1,006 $973 $1,057 $1,131 2 Bedrooms $1,350 $1,410 $1,307 $1,302 $1,414 $1,513 3 Bedrooms $1,867 $1,950 $1,808 $1,858 $2,018 $2,159 Nevada 1 Bedroom $848 $870 $828 $780 $790 $1,023 2 Bedrooms $1,117 $1,146 $1,091 $1,034 $1,047 $1,355 3 Bedrooms $1,613 $1,655 $1,575 $1,524 $1,543 $1,997 Orange 1 Bedroom $1,336 $1,327 $1,384 $1,294 $1,312 $1,283 2 Bedrooms $1,594 $1,584 $1,652 $1,621 $1,644 $1,608 3 Bedrooms $2,256 $2,241 $2,338 $2,268 $2,300 $2,250 Placer 1 Bedroom $852 $861 $837 $855 $854 $806 2 Bedrooms $1,039 $1,050 $1,021 $1,073 $1,072 $1,012
3 Bedrooms $1,499 $1,515 $1,473 $1,581 $1,580 $1,491 Plumas 1 Bedroom $673 $691 $718 $702 $690 $636 2 Bedrooms $887 $910 $946 $950 $933 $861 3 Bedrooms $1,294 $1,328 $1,380 $1,183 $1,162 $1,072 Riverside 1 Bedroom $940 $970 $974 $879 $882 $908 2 Bedrooms $1,108 $1,144 $1,149 $1,116 $1,120 $1,153 3 Bedrooms $1,559 $1,610 $1,617 $1,577 $1,582 $1,629 Sacramento 1 Bedroom $852 $861 $837 $855 $854 $806 2 Bedrooms $1,039 $1,050 $1,021 $1,073 $1,072 $1,012 3 Bedrooms $1,499 $1,515 $1,473 $1,581 $1,580 $1,491
San Benito 1 Bedroom $1,080 $1,147 $1,082 $871 $884 $945 2 Bedrooms $1,201 $1,276 $1,204 $1,179 $1,196 $1,279 3 Bedrooms $1,702 $1,808 $1,706 $1,737 $1,762 $1,885 San Bernardino 1 Bedroom $940 $970 $974 $879 $882 $908 2 Bedrooms $1,108 $1,144 $1,149 $1,116 $1,120 $1,153 3 Bedrooms $1,559 $1,610 $1,617 $1,577 $1,582 $1,629 San Diego 1 Bedroom $1,082 $1,149 $1,126 $1,054 $1,032 $1,060 2 Bedrooms $1,324 $1,406 $1,378 $1,382 $1,354 $1,390 3 Bedrooms $1,883 $1,999 $1,960 $2,009 $1,969 $2,021 San Francisco
1 Bedroom $1,406 $1,465 $1,522 $1,423 $1,551 $1,635 2 Bedrooms $1,760 $1,833 $1,905 $1,795 $1,956 $2,062 3 Bedrooms $2,350 $2,447 $2,543 $2,438 $2,657 $2,801 San Joaquin 1 Bedroom $768 $748 $733 $760 $709 $721 2 Bedrooms $947 $922 $904 $997 $930 $946 3 Bedrooms $1,300 $1,266 $1,241 $1,469 $1,370 $1,394 San Luis Obispo 1 Bedroom $952 $977 $954 $880 $941 $1,014 2 Bedrooms $1,160 $1,190 $1,162 $1,136 $1,215 $1,309 3 Bedrooms $1,690 $1,734 $1,693 $1,674 $1,790 $1,929 San Mateo 1 Bedroom $1,406 $1,465 $1,522 $1,423 $1,551 $1,635
2 Bedrooms $1,760 $1,833 $1,905 $1,795 $1,956 $2,062 3 Bedrooms $2,350 $2,447 $2,543 $2,438 $2,657 $2,801 Santa Barbara 1 Bedroom $1,122 $1,091 $1,198 $1,190 $1,061 $1,218 2 Bedrooms $1,259 $1,225 $1,344 $1,426 $1,272 $1,460 3 Bedrooms $1,658 $1,613 $1,770 $1,906 $1,700 $1,951 Santa Clara 1 Bedroom $1,196 $1,416 $1,350 $1,262 $1,293 $1,419 2 Bedrooms $1,438 $1,702 $1,623 $1,610 $1,649 $1,809 3 Bedrooms $2,068 $2,447 $2,334 $2,270 $2,325 $2,551 Santa Cruz 1 Bedroom $1,270 $1,327 $1,154 $1,173 $1,180 $1,298 2 Bedrooms $1,656 $1,730 $1,504 $1,587 $1,597 $1,756 3 Bedrooms $2,383 $2,489 $2,164 $2,045 $2,058 $2,263
Shasta 1 Bedroom $680 $698 $693 $755 $748 $722 2 Bedrooms $827 $849 $843 $949 $940 $907 3 Bedrooms $1,207 $1,239 $1,230 $1,398 $1,385 $1,337 Sierra 1 Bedroom $791 $812 $606 $611 $639 $769 2 Bedrooms $1,044 $1,071 $800 $826 $865 $1,040 3 Bedrooms $1,479 $1,518 $1,134 $1,217 $1,275 $1,533 Siskiyou 1 Bedroom $601 $617 $563 $629 $618 $622 2 Bedrooms $769 $789 $720 $803 $789 $794 3 Bedrooms $1,094 $1,123 $1,025 $1,171 $1,150 $1,158 Solano
1 Bedroom $1,055 $1,101 $1,072 $931 $928 $964 2 Bedrooms $1,210 $1,263 $1,229 $1,166 $1,163 $1,207 3 Bedrooms $1,696 $1,771 $1,723 $1,718 $1,714 $1,779 Sonoma 1 Bedroom $1,034 $1,024 $933 $1,018 $956 $1,047 2 Bedrooms $1,306 $1,293 $1,178 $1,332 $1,251 $1,370 3 Bedrooms $1,853 $1,835 $1,672 $1,963 $1,843 $2,019 Stanislaus 1 Bedroom $790 $768 $808 $734 $710 $720 2 Bedrooms $930 $905 $952 $941 $910 $923 3 Bedrooms $1,334 $1,298 $1,365 $1,387 $1,341 $1,360 Sutter 1 Bedroom $620 $636 $697 $634 $617 $664 2 Bedrooms $763 $782 $857 $812 $790 $850
3 Bedrooms $1,110 $1,138 $1,247 $1,173 $1,142 $1,228 Tehama 1 Bedroom $596 $611 $595 $611 $621 $580 2 Bedrooms $778 $798 $777 $826 $840 $785 3 Bedrooms $1,130 $1,159 $1,129 $1,165 $1,185 $1,107 Trinity 1 Bedroom $596 $612 $537 $585 $706 $554 2 Bedrooms $782 $803 $705 $782 $943 $741 3 Bedrooms $1,073 $1,102 $967 $1,152 $1,390 $1,092 Tulare 1 Bedroom $578 $605 $624 $590 $576 $592 2 Bedrooms $672 $703 $725 $768 $749 $771 3 Bedrooms $961 $1,005 $1,037 $1,132 $1,104 $1,136
Tuolumne 1 Bedroom $742 $761 $719 $744 $698 $704 2 Bedrooms $959 $983 $929 $1,007 $944 $952 3 Bedrooms $1,325 $1,359 $1,284 $1,484 $1,391 $1,403 Ventura 1 Bedroom $1,162 $1,200 $1,129 $1,116 $1,102 $1,158 2 Bedrooms $1,479 $1,527 $1,436 $1,499 $1,479 $1,555 3 Bedrooms $2,119 $2,188 $2,058 $2,070 $2,043 $2,148 Yolo 1 Bedroom $861 $869 $811 $801 $817 $818 2 Bedrooms $1,052 $1,062 $992 $1,082 $1,104 $1,105 3 Bedrooms $1,533 $1,547 $1,445 $1,594 $1,627 $1,628 Yuba 1 Bedroom $620 $636 $697 $634 $617 $664
2 Bedrooms $763 $782 $857 $812 $790 $850 3 Bedrooms $1,110 $1,138 $1,247 $1,173 $1,142 $1,228 Definition: Fair market rents are gross rent estimates that include the cost of rent and all utilities except telephone service. The current definition used for most areas is the 40th percentile rent, the dollar amount below which 40% of the standard quality rental housing units are rented. Data Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent (Oct. 2014).