Thanks to inflation, flat wages, and higher mortgage rates, more homeowners are feeling the pinch to their pocketbooks this year. The Chamber of Commerce studied results from the U.S. Census Bureau to determine income and monthly housing costs of 9 million households in 170 cities. The study found that 27.4% of all homeowners are house poor, meaning that they felt stretched beyond their means by housing bills and are spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Ouch.
The study also ranked the top 10 cities with the most house-poor homeowners. They might not be where you think, either — especially the top spot.
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Here are the 10 U.S. cities with the most homeowners who are house poor, spending more than 30% of household income on housing:
- Hialeah, Florida
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Miami
- Hollywood, Florida
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Palmdale, California
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Long Beach, California
- Oxnard, California
Overall, 21% of those considered house-poor homeowners have a household income of less than $75,000.
Nearly 60% of homeowners in the number one spot, Hialeah, Florida, are deemed house poor, while Los Angeles counts 48.7% and 45.3% in New York as such.
The study also found the 10 cities where homeowners were spending far less on housing costs.
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The top 10 most budget-minded cities, where less than 20% of household income was spent on housing, were:
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Cary, North Carolina
- Pittsburgh
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Rochester, New York
- Toledo, Ohio
- Chandler, Arizona
- Lexington, Kentucky
Impressively, 65.1% of homeowners in Huntsville, Alabama were spending less than 20% of their income on housing costs. Residents of Cary, North Carolina weren't far behind, with 59.8% spending less than 20% of their income on housing, and 59.3% of homeowners in Pittsburgh qualifying as budget-minded.
Hoping to avoid becoming house poor yourself no matter where you live? Avoid these rookie mistakes when buying a house.
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