Utah’s housing crisis isn’t only about the typical person’s inability to buy a house.
More than 300,000 Utah households are cost-burdened and struggle to afford their rent or mortgage, according to new statewide data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, because they’re spending a large portion of their income on housing.
Households are considered cost-burdened when they spend more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage payments, and other housing costs, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Households spending more than half their income on housing costs are considered severely cost-burdened.
A smaller portion of Utahns are housing burdened than in other states, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
About 27% of Utahns spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs — a smaller portion of residents than more than half of the nation, including neighboring Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Nevada.
But how burdened Utahns are depends on where they live, ranging from 14.5% in Juab County to 31.7% in Grand County.
The Salt Lake Tribune wants to talk with Utahns about their housing costs and how what they spend to keep a roof over their heads affects their health.
There’s a survey available below or at bit.ly/tribune-housing-costs-survey.
Megan Banta is The Salt Lake Tribune’s data enterprise reporter, a philanthropically supported position. The Tribune retains control over all editorial decisions.
