Local Component Score
30
/100
Band: Weak
County Component
Chester County • 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.
Comparative Context
State percentile: 16th.
National percentile: 30th.
Income/rent/value durability from ACS 2023: rent-to-income 16.5%, price-to-income 3.75, unemployment 2.8%, HUD 2BR FMR $1,470.
What This Component 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.
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.
Interpretation And Questions
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.
Questions
Are housing costs rising faster than incomes here?
Is affordability pressure temporary or structurally persistent?
How does this location compare with nearby and national peers?