How many subsidized housing units are available in the United States?
Data updated August 27, 2024
There were about 5.1 million in 2023, of which around 13% were unoccupied and available to rent. Federally subsidized rental housing began with 1937’s US Housing Act, which created the United States Housing Authority and provided financial assistance to state and local governments for housing low-income people. Since then, the government has provided housing assistance to low-income renters through programs overseen by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Showing data for
In 2023
5.1M
subsidized housing units existed in the US
In 2023
667K
subsidized housing units were unoccupied and available to rent
In 2023
13%
of all subsidized housing units were available to rent
There were about 4.5 million occupied subsidized housing units in 2022, and around 45 million occupied rental units — subsidized and unsubsidized — in the US. That means 10% of all occupied rentals in the US were provided by housing assistance programs. In 2022, 12% of all subsidized units in the US were vacant, compared with 5% of all rental properties.
The number of available subsidized housing units varies throughout the United States. Administered by local public housing authorities (PHAs), availability is shaped by local policy and factors like geography (e.g., urban vs. rural vs. suburban), need, and more.
In 2023, Arizona had the fewest subsidized housing units per 1K people.
Of all parts of the US, Washington, DC had the most subsidized housing per capita; housing assistance programs are concentrated in urban areas, and DC is very urban. Among states, Rhode Island offered the most subsidized units per capita.
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Subsidized housing can take different forms — from high-rise buildings to garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more — but all are accessed via eight different housing assistance programs under HUD. These are classified as either public housing; tenant-based programs; or privately-owned, project-based housing.
Tenant-based programs — known today as the Housing Choice Voucher program — are the most common form of housing assistance, providing 2.75 million housing units in 2023. Housing vouchers allow recipients to choose their own housing in the private market, as long as it meets program requirements. These account for 54% of the subsidized housing stock.
Tenant assistance was the most common type of housing program in 2023.
Privately-owned, project-based programs provide subsidized housing in larger, multifamily housing developments through agreements between landlords and HUD, and account for 29% of all subsidized housing.
Public housing refers to residential units that are built and managed by local housing agencies to provide affordable living options for low-income families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. These units make up 17% of the total subsidized housing units in the United States.
