Financial Security
Cost of Rent

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Rent as Percentage of Household Income

What does this measure?

The proportion of household income that goes toward monthly rent, utilities and fuel, calculated by dividing median rent by median household income for renters. A high percentage may reflect relatively high rents, low incomes, or both.

Why is this important?

This figure indicates how affordable housing is for renters. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guideline for affordability is that rent should consume no more than 30% of household income.

How is our region doing?

Renters in the MetroWest region spent 30% of their household income on rent in 2018-22, below the state (34%), and the nationwide level (31%). However, some areas had less affordable rent, including Westwood (58%), Maynard (50%) and Lincoln (48%). Southborough (24%) was the most affordable.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Rent as Percentage of Household Income
20002008-122013-172018-22
United States26%33%32%31%
Massachusetts27%35%35%34%
Region24%25%30%
Middlesex County25%31%31%31%
Norfolk County27%32%33%33%
Worcester County25%32%33%32%
Acton town, Middlesex County22%31%25%34%
Ashland town, Middlesex County30%37%26%26%
Bedford town, Middlesex County25%31%32%27%
Bellingham town, Norfolk County27%24%33%34%
Boxborough town, Middlesex County18%22%18%36%
Carlisle town, Middlesex County30%49%0%***35%***
Concord town, Middlesex County26%28%35%26%
Dedham town, Norfolk County26%35%36%35%
Dover town, Norfolk County31%17%20%**26%***
Framingham city, Middlesex County30%34%40%32%
Franklin town, Norfolk County30%28%35%
Groton town, Middlesex County19%23%37%*0%
Harvard town, Worcester County26%40%*30%0%
Holliston town, Middlesex County29%40%*39%*43%
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County24%31%*27%46%
Hudson town, Middlesex County23%35%30%26%
Lexington town, Middlesex County27%41%27%34%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County23%35%31%48%
Littleton town, Middlesex County26%56%***33%***34%*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County24%30%29%34%
Maynard town, Middlesex County28%35%38%50%
Medfield town, Norfolk County24%35%39%37%**
Medway town, Norfolk County26%29%***32%*38%
Milford town, Worcester County26%33%30%31%
Millis town, Norfolk County22%30%36%40%
Natick town, Middlesex County23%28%30%26%
Needham town, Norfolk County35%37%36%33%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County25%32%33%*32%**
Southborough town, Worcester County25%33%36%24%
Stow town, Middlesex County22%31%0%27%
Sudbury town, Middlesex County26%22%**32%42%***
Walpole town, Norfolk County27%31%43%34%
Waltham city, Middlesex County24%30%29%28%
Wayland town, Middlesex County25%50%***34%***0%**
Wellesley town, Norfolk County22%24%27%30%
Westborough town, Worcester County22%23%25%28%
Westford town, Middlesex County20%27%28%42%
Weston town, Middlesex County21%25%*33%**40%*
Westwood town, Norfolk County27%47%39%58%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Rent considered affordable if less than 30% of income. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. Region not available in 2000.








INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Drug Poisoning Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Decreasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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