Urban Institute: Housing Assistance Matters Map

The Housing Assistance Matters Initiative at the Urban Institute has released an interactive map highlighting access to affordable housing throughout the nation. Using a mix of data from the American Community Survey, the Census and the Department for Housing and Urban Development, the map explores the affordability gap between the number of extremely low-income (ELI) renter households (defined as households that earn 30 percent or less of the area median income) and the number of affordable and available rental units.

Access to quality, affordable housing is a critical component of strong communities and families and can impact several factors, such as health, well-being and access to jobs or educational opportunities. A tool that can be used to inform public debate and strengthen policy, the Urban Institute’s map captures the struggles that ELI renter households face. According to the map, not a single county in the United States has an even balance between ELI households and affordable and available rental units. On average, there are only 29 affordable and available housing rental units for every 100 ELI renter household nationwide.

Want to learn more about access to affordable housing in your community? Check out the interactive map to take a look at the affordability gap by county.