Location Affordability in Large U.S. Cities

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1 In a previous policy brief the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) used the concept of location affordability to explore the competitiveness of New York City relative to other large U.S. cities. Location affordability recognizes that the costs of housing and transportation, usually the two largest items in household budgets, are inextricably linked, and considering them together in relation to income gives a good sense of a city s location affordability. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has developed a Location Affordability Index (LAI) that measures these two costs and suggests that households paying more than 45 percent of their income for these costs are overburdened, signifying an affordability problem. 1 In the previous analysis, CBC found the news is good for a typical rental household in New York City: relatively low transportation costs and high incomes make the city comparatively affordable. New York City housing and transportation costs for a typical household are 3 percent of income, the third most affordable among large U.S cities. This analysis goes beyond the typical household to examine location affordability for seven different prototypical rental households. The households are split into two groups based on income levels: moderate- and middle-income households, and low-income households. The key findings are: For moderate- and middle-income households, location costs in New York City are below the 45 percent affordability threshold due mostly to low commuting costs. (See Table 1.) New York City ranks well ranging from second to sixth most affordable among the large cities. For low-income households, location costs in New York City exceed the affordability threshold. A low-income family requires 47 percent of income for these costs and a single worker household requires 56 percent; for a single person earning a wage at the national poverty line, location costs in New York City are particularly burdensome at 101 percent of income. Almost all cities examined were unaffordable to low-income households. Table 1: New York City Annual Location Costs, Location Costs as a, and -City Rank by Location Costs as a, 010 Household Group Moderate- and Middle- Low- Household Type Dual- Family Retirees Single Professional Regional Moderate Low- Family Very Low- Annual Location Costs $5,886 $15,851 $16,156 $18,919 $16,756 $13,306 $11,51 Note: Rank ranges from 1 (most affordable) to (least affordable). Percent of 47% 56% 101% NYC Rank Based on Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Location Affordability Portal: About the Portal - Table 3 (accessed July 1, 014), 7% 31% 34%

2 Citizens Budget Commission Definitions: Household s in the Location Affordability Index The median income for the Metropolitan Statisical Area where the central city is located. New York City: $63,915 -City Range: $48,838 - $86,86 Regional Per Capita The per capita income for the Metropolitan Statistical Area where the central city is located. New York City: $3,760 -City Range: $17,763 - $3,447 Household Group Figure 1: Description of Household Types Available in the Location Affordability Index Moderate- and Middle- Low- Household Type Regional Moderate Retirees Dual Family Single Professional Low- Family Very Low- Household Size Commuters Regional Average per Household Households in the Location Affordability Index Two Four Three percent of 00 Regional Per Capita 50 HUD Area Median Zero Two Regional Per Capita 80 National Poverty Line Regional Average per Household Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develoment, Location Affordability Portal: About the Portal - Table 3 (accessed July 1, 014), HUD Area Median Median income for three-person households in the Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area where the central city is located. New York City: $71,300 -City Range: $49,450 - $96,800 National Poverty Line The U.S. poverty threshold is calculated by the Census Bureau based on the income required to pay for basic needs, including food, shelter, and clothing, for a one-person household. HUD calculates an LAI for eight different types of households. The typical household used in the previous CBC analysis is based on averages for household size, number of workers, commuting patterns, and income levels in each city; for example, the typical household in New York City has.69 members, 1. commuters, and an annual income of $63,915. The seven additional household types considered in this policy brief are constructed by HUD to capture the variety of household types in large urban areas. Figure 1 and the accompanying box describe the characteristics of these households. Four of the households have moderate or higher annual income (the regional moderate household, a retiree household, a dual income family, and a single professional) and three have lower income (a low-income family, a single worker, and a very low-income single worker). For all cities: $11,139 For each type of household, the three elements in the LAI income, rent, and transportation costs are set or estimated by HUD. is assumed to be the amount indicated in Figure 1, a level based in most cases on median or per capita levels in the metropolitan area. Rent for each type of household is estimated by HUD using statistical models that incorporate the characteristics of households and the rent paid by similar households in the area. 3 Transportation costs are calculated based on the number of commuters in the household and the estimated cost of driving to work and using mass transit in each metropolitan area. The resulting cost estimates and the LAI are HUD s best effort to reflect the experience of diverse types of households in each city, but they are statistical constructs rather than averages of actual households in the city. The HUD data do not indicate how many households in each city fit the categories.

3 Location Affordability for Moderate- and Middle- Households For the four moderate- and middle-income households, location costs in New York City are below the 45 percent affordability threshold. Location costs range from $15,851 for a retiree household to $5,886 for a dual-income family. For a dual-income family these costs amount to 7 percent of income. For the other households, the shares are 31 percent for retirees, 34 percent for single professionals and 37 percent for a moderate-income household. (See Table.) New York City ranks well against other large U.S. cities for the moderate- and middle-income household types. New York City ranks second for a retiree household, third for a moderate-income household, fourth for a dual-income family, and sixth for a single professional household. New York City s comparative advantage is its low transportation costs, thanks to a robust regional mass transit system supporting low automobile ownership and a higher share of commuters using public transit. Also the assumed income for these households is generally higher in the New York City area than in other regions. Generally, all large cities in this analysis are affordable to moderate- and middle-income households based on the 45 percent threshold; however, affordability may be a growing concern in some cities for moderate-income households. In nine cities, location costs for moderate-households exceed the 45 percent threshold. Location Affordability for Low- Households The news on affordability for low-income households is more troublesome. None of the cities analyzed is affordable for a single worker household or a very low-income single worker household. For a lowincome family, only two cities, San Francisco (4 percent) and Washington, D.C (43 percent), are affordable, although very close to the threshold. (See Table 3.) The problem is particularly troubling for very low-income single households; these households, assumed to earn a wage equal to the national poverty line, require more than 100 percent of that figure for location costs in all cities but Philadelphia, where location costs are 95 percent. These estimates are alarming, but it should be noted that the income assumption in the calculation does not take into account many available government subsidies such as food stamps, earned income tax credits, and housing vouchers. New York City ranks well among large cities for each of the low-income households no lower than sixth. This reflects the relatively low transportation costs in New York City, again highlighting the advantages of its mass transit system for all workers. Nonetheless, the LAI for each type of lowincome household exceeds the 45 percent threshold, pointing to the need for continuing efforts to increase affordability for these households. 3

4 Citizens Budget Commission City Table : Combined Housing and Transportation Costs,, and Rank for Moderate- and Middle- Group, Selected Cities, 010 Dual- Family Moderate- Household Retiree Single Professional Rank Rank Rank Rank Atlanta $6,761 31% 11 $0,58 44% 13 $16,574 36% 13 $16,59 38% 13 Austin $7,69 3% 1 $0,7 45% 14 $16,577 36% 1 $17,089 38% 14 Boston $9,394 8% 8 $1,834 39% 7 $19,036 34% 10 $19,035 34% 7 Chicago $4,533 7% 5 $18,899 39% 9 $15,991 33% 7 $15,56 34% 8 Columbus $5,397 3% 14 $18,64 44% 11 $14,815 35% 11 $15,661 9 Dallas $5,358 30% 10 $19,384 43% 10 $15,37 34% 8 $15, Detroit $5,94 33% 16 $19,87 47% 17 $16,351 39% 18 $16,50 40% 15 Houston $4,844 30% 9 $19,433 44% 1 $15,017 34% 9 $15,004 33% 5 Indianapolis $5,481 3% 13 $19,111 45% 15 $15, $15, Jacksonville $6,947 34% 19 $0,713 49% 1 $17,331 41% 1 $16,858 41% 16 Los Angeles $9,369 33% 15 $,513 38% 5 $18,0 38% 17 $18,145 45% 1 Miami $5,641 35% 1 $19,145 49% 0 $15,69 40% 0 $16,158 44% 0 New York City $5,886 7% 4 $18,919 3 $15,851 31% $16,156 34% 6 Philadelphia $3,501 6% $17,837 4 $15,46 3% 5 $15,355 33% Phoenix $7,077 33% 17 $0,130 46% 16 $16, $16,800 41% 18 Riverside $30,695 36% $4,101 53% $19,099 4% $18,118 51% San Antonio $5,103 34% 0 $18,507 47% 18 $14, $14,571 41% 17 San Diego $31,566 33% 18 $4,73 49% 19 $0,18 40% 19 $0,18 44% 19 San Francisco $30,661 7% 3 $,409 $18,776 31% 3 $19,071 33% 3 San Jose $36,40 8% 6 $6,91 39% 8 $,089 3% 6 $,49 1 Seattle $7,468 8% 7 $19,88 38% 6 $16,74 3% 4 $17,618 33% 4 Washington, D.C. $9,553 3% 1 $3,99 34% 1 $19,188 8% 1 Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Location Affordability Portal - Version 1 (accessed July 1, 014), $18,80 9% 1 4

5 Table 3: Combined Housing and Transportation Costs,, and Rank for Low- Household Group, Selected Cities, 010 City Very Low- Rank Rank Low- Family Rank Atlanta $1,14 109% 1 $13,907 65% 13 $18,116 56% 13 Austin $13, % 16 $14,615 65% 1 $18,60 56% 14 Boston $1, % 15 $15,676 56% 5 $19,848 48% 7 Chicago $11,51 101% 3 $1,788 57% 7 $16,4 48% 6 Columbus $11, % 7 $13,333 63% 8 $16,995 55% 10 Dallas $11, % 4 $13,114 64% 10 $16,913 55% 11 Detroit $11, % 5 $13,814 68% 15 $18,41 58% 17 Houston $1, % 10 $1,888 67% 14 $16,701 57% 15 Indianapolis $1, % 8 $13,376 64% 11 $17,33 56% 1 Jacksonville $13,701 13% 19 $14,803 7% 18 $18,977 64% 0 Los Angeles $13,478 11% 18 $14,919 74% 0 $0,14 54% 9 Miami $11, % 6 $13,0 7% 19 $18,041 57% 16 New York City $11,51 101% $13,306 56% 6 $16,756 47% 5 Philadelphia $10,583 95% 1 $1,564 54% 4 $16,16 46% 3 Phoenix $13,55 119% 17 $14,546 71% 16 $18,300 61% 18 Riverside $15, % 0 $16,34 9% $0,768 71% 1 San Antonio $1, % 9 $1,793 7% 17 $17,565 71% San Diego $16, % 1 $17,659 77% 1 $1,918 6% 19 San Francisco $1,476 11% 13 $15,315 53% $0,38 4% 1 San Jose $16, % $18,941 63% 9 $4,3 5% 8 Seattle $1, % 11 $14,148 53% 3 $18,119 47% 4 Washington, D.C. $1,476 11% 13 $15,899 49% 1 $0,038 43% Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Location Affordability Portal - Version 1 (accessed July 1, 014), 5

6 Citizens Budget Commission Conclusion Location affordability is a more comprehensive and meaningful measure than housing burden because it considers both housing and transportation costs. Low transportation costs and relatively high income among moderate- to middle-income households make New York City affordable relative to other large U.S. cities. The findings for poorer households are more concerning: these households are extremely burdened by location costs in almost all large U.S. cities. The findings support housing policies that emphasize support for low-income rental households. Mayor Bill de Blasio s housing plan to preserve or build 00,000 affordable units will be largely targeted to low-income households earning less than 80 percent of the area median income, the households with the greatest burden. The findings also highlight the role of the region s transportation network as an important comparative advantage for keeping location costs affordable. Efforts to stimulate development to increase housing supply in areas that can leverage New York City s unique mass transit system are particularly well targeted. Endnotes 1 For more information on the calculation of the index, see Citizens Budget Commission, Housing Affordability Versus Location Affordability: The Rent s Too Damn High! But the Metrocard Is a Pretty Good Deal, August 014, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Location Affordability Portal Version 1: About the Portal (accessed July 16, 014), The U.S. cities were chosen because they are among the 15 largest cities by population or the central cities of the 15 largest metropolitan areas by population in Includes rents paid by households in public housing. 6

7 This policy brief is the third in a series examining housing affordability in New York City. The brief was researched and prepared by Rahul Jain, Senior Research Associate, and co-written by Charles Brecher, Consulting Research Director. Editorial guidance was provided by Maria Doulis, Director of City Studies. CITIZENS BUDGET COMMIS- 540 Broadway Fifth Floor Albany, NY 107 Two Penn Plaza Fifth Floor New York, NY