ACS – Cost Burdened Households

This data layer depicts the percent of Cost Burdened Households. It was developed by Metropolitan Council and the Natural Resources Research Institute using data from the American Community Survey (ACS). Cost Burdened Households are defined as those that are spending greater than 30% of their income on housing. Note that these are statistical estimates and do not include the margin of error. The ACS is conducted on an annual basis by the US Census Bureau. It covers housing, demographic, social, and economic topics. The annual results are aggregated into five-year intervals from 2016 to 2020 to produce more accurate estimates. Data is summarized at the Census Tract level. The ACS provides more timely data than the Census for identifying trends in a community. Cost Burdened Households data provides insight for planners or project managers on communities that are at risk. Communities with a high number of Cost Burdened Households may be prioritized for projects that boost local economies, incomes, and wages.