What It Measures
Evaluates whether housing costs remain aligned with local income over time using rent burden, price-to-income, and housing-cost growth versus wage growth.
Framework Component 1
Affordability Stability
Affordability Stability measures whether local households can keep pace with housing costs without persistent budget strain.
A market can look healthy on price trends while still becoming unsustainable for residents if costs consistently outgrow income.
Interpretation
Higher scores indicate stronger long-term cost-to-income durability.
Lower scores indicate sustained affordability pressure for residents.
Compare with state and national percentiles to calibrate local severity.
Core Signals
Signal 1
Median household income versus local housing cost levels.
Signal 2
Price-to-income pressure and rent-burden pressure relative to peers.
Signal 3
Housing cost growth versus wage growth over comparable periods.
Signal 4
Persistence of affordability stress rather than one-time spikes.
Questions This Component Answers
Question 1
Are housing costs rising faster than incomes here?
Question 2
Is affordability pressure temporary or structurally persistent?
Question 3
How does this location compare with nearby and national peers?