Data Shows Varying Housing Costs for Metro Areas

Posted By Mike Maciag | July 11, 2013

FlickrCC/Trader Chris

At $1,606, the Anaheim-Santa Ana, Calif., metro area had the highest median monthly housing costs in 2011.

If you’re living in California, expect to spend a sizable chunk of your income on housing.

That’s one of the many findings from the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey, conducted biennially to assess housing needs, conditions and costs. The bureau published profiles this morning for 29 metro areas detailing a variety of characteristics pulled from the most recent 2011 survey.

One of the more revealing measures is monthly housing costs (including utilities and real estate taxes) as a percentage of family income.

Nationally, housing costs accounted for a quarter of current income in 2011, up slightly from 24 percent in 2009. The median monthly housing cost was $927, according to the survey.

Along with the national survey, the Census Bureau published data for a supplemental sample of housing units in 29 metro areas. The following table lists selected housing costs for metro areas with published data. Figures shown are for all occupied units.

Metro Area	Median monthly housing cost as % of current income	Median monthly housing costs	Median Monthly Water Costs	Median Monthly Trash Costs	Total Occupied Units

Pittsburgh, PA	21	$743	$50	$16	992,600
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY	23	$748	$23	$17	469,800
Birmingham-Hoover, AL	21	$776	$40	$13	419,500
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH	24	$798	$38	$17	860,400
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA	26	$838	$29	$25	463,000
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN	22	$855	$40	$20	676,700
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	28	$856	$25	$19	480,600
St. Louis, MO-IL	21	$863	$39	$18	1,115,200
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN	22	$880	$42	$20	815,700
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	25	$893	$50	$27	627,800
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC	23	$899	$40	$21	665,900
Kansas City, MO-KS	23	$923	$40	$19	793,700
Columbus, OH	25	$934	$43	$20	684,000
Providence, RI	29	$998	$37	$22	522,100
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	25	$1,015	$60	$58	789,300
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ	27	$1,026	$50	$30	1,510,100
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX	25	$1,057	$50	$50	1,545,500
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA	27	$1,075	$40	$18	1,902,500
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA	26	$1,080	$58	$26	858,500
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	27	$1,126	$52	$30	630,500
Denver, CO	25	$1,130	$50	$20	983,900
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA	29	$1,181	$55	$35	783,700
Riverside-San Bernadino-Ontario, CA	32	$1,242	$57	$25	1,286,900
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA	35	$1,294	$50	$30	3,227,000
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos	31	$1,424	$75	$27	1,093,600
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA	29	$1,501	$50	$30	907,200
Anaheim-Santa Ana, CA	31	$1,606	$40	$21	983,300
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA	28	$1,647	$50	$28	720,100
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	29	$1,800	$50	$30	624,100

NOTE: The percentages reported do not consider individuals reporting no cash rent or not earning any income. Current income is defined as the total income of the family and any primary individuals over the past year. It is not collected for every household member.

For more detailed data, including data for additional metro areas from prior surveys, please refer to the Excel files posted here.

Mike Maciag

Mike Maciag is Data Editor for GOVERNING.

E-mail: mmaciag@governing.com
Twitter: @mmaciag

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