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2022 - Urban Reform Institute - US Housing Affordability

Trends and policy

Housing affordability in the U.S. in 2022

Source: Urban Reform Institute

Report date: June 2022

The Urban Reform Institute rates housing affordability across the U.S. in the 2022 edition of Demographia United States Housing Affordability. The institute bases its ratings on the median multiple, a measurement of income in relation to housing prices.

Highlights

In 2021, the number of U.S. housing markets rated "affordable" dropped to nine, down 80% from 44 the previous year.
The top five most affordable housing markets were Peoria, Illinois; Davenport, Iowa; Rockford, Illinois; Pittsburgh; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
76 housing markets were rated severely unaffordable in 2021, an increase of more than 440% over 14 in pre-pandemic 2019.
In addition to Honolulu, the top five housing markets rated severely unaffordable included four California cities: San Jose, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
More than 85% of cost-of-living differences between high-cost and average-cost metropolitan areas are housing costs.