How many households in the United States spend too much on housing?
About 41.8 million in 2023. That’s 32.8% of all households. These households spent at least 30% of their total income on rent or mortgage payments and utilities. The Department of Housing and Urban Development considers households that spend more than 30% of their income on housing to be cost-burdened. Cost-burdened households may have less money for other necessities such as food, healthcare, or savings.
Data updated January 29, 2025
In 2023,
41.8M
households were cost burdened
In 2023,
32.8%
of households were cost burdened
The number of cost-burdened households increased from 38.9 million in 2013 to 41.8 million in 2023. Cost burden considers both household income and housing costs, so factors affecting either of these can influence the number of burdened households. For example:
- Changes in wages, employment status, or the number of people in a household can impact household income.
- Changes in housing supply/demand or interest rates can affect costs.
A growing or declining US population can also affect the number of cost-burdened households. To counteract this, USAFacts analyzed the percentages of cost-burdened households rather than just the number. This prevents such population changes from skewing the data.
In 2023, 32.8% of US households were cost burdened. This is down 1.8 percentage points from 2013.
A higher share of renter households are cost-burdened than owner households
Share of households that spent at least 30% of their income on housing
Cost burden varies for renters and homeowners. For example, during the Great Recession (2007–2009) unemployment rose, millions of homes entered foreclosure, and rental demand increased. By 2010, cost burden had increased among renters while staying flat among homeowner households. Since 2013, the proportion of cost-burdened owner households has decreased from 25.5% to 23.3% in 2023. Meanwhile, cost burden changed from 51.5% to 51.8% among renter households.
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Cost burdens also vary nationwide. The share of renters who are cost-burdened ranged from 37.0% in North Dakota to 61.7% of all renter households in Florida in 2023.
Florida had the highest cost-burdened share of renters in 2023.
Share of renter households that spent at least 30% of their income on housing, 2023
In 50 out of 50 states, plus Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, a smaller share of owner households was cost burdened than renter households in 2023. Among owner households, the share experiencing cost burden ranged from 13.7% in North Dakota to 36.5% in New Jersey.
California had the highest proportion of cost-burdened homeowners in 2023.
Share of owner households that spent at least 30% of their income on housing, 2023
Wyoming had the narrowest difference between cost-burdened renters and owners: 20 percentage points, with the burden being higher for renters. Louisiana had the largest gap: 35 percentage points.
Cost-burdened households, by state (2023)
| 1. | Alabama | 49.5% |
| 2. | Alaska | 45.1% |
| 3. | Arizona | 54.0% |
| 4. | Arkansas | 46.5% |
| 5. | California | 56.1% |
| 6. | Colorado | 53.2% |
| 7. | Connecticut | 52.9% |
| 8. | Delaware | 51.6% |
| 9. | Florida | 61.7% |
| 10. | Georgia | 53.7% |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
United States Census Bureau
American Community Survey (ACS)
