37%

WHERE DO WE STAND?

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recommends that households pay no more than 30% of total income on housing. More than 1 out of 3 households in Travis County do not meet this affordability threshold. The number of households who were housing cost burdened in Travis County in 2023 was 225,569, compared to 166,989 in 2019 (a 30% increase).

Households in Austin, Travis County, and the Austin MSA are cost-burdened at higher rates compared to Texas and the nation as a whole.

A CLOSER LOOK

Renter households are nearly twice as likely as owner households to be cost-burdened. In Travis County in 2023, 50% of renters were housing cost-burdened while 25.2% of owners were housing cost-burdened.

RENTER COST BURDEN

Low-income renters are most impacted. According to census data, 85% of renters with a household income less than $35,000 a year are housing cost-burdened in Travis County. Approximately 74% of Travis County renter households with incomes below $35,000 are “severely cost-burdened,” which means they pay more than half their total household income for housing.

OWNER COST BURDEN

Lower-income owners are impacted at higher rates. According to census data, 77% of owners with a household income less than $35,000 a year are housing cost-burdened in Travis County. Approximately 59% of Travis County owner households with incomes below $35,000 are “severely cost-burdened”. An estimated 49% of Travis County owners with household incomes between $50,000 and $74,999 are housing cost-burdened.