Cost Burdened Households by Income Levels in Herkimer County

Households where 30 percent or more of the household income is used for housing costs are considered "cost burdened" by the US Housing and Urban Development Office. They may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care because so much of their income is needed for direct housing costs.

The chart below shows how households with lower incomes struggle with the burden of housing costs. For example, more than three out of every four households (77%) where household income is $20,000 or less are cost burdened - they spend more than 30% of their income of housing costs. But among households where their income is between $50,000 and $75,000 less than one in ten (8%) are cost burdened - households with greater income levels are less likely to spend 30% or more of their income on housing.