Kids Affected
14 million children are affected by rent burden.
Paying more than 30% of family income on housing is considered a burden. The current housing problem affecting the majority of households with children is rent burden. Rent burden increases material hardship and family stress. But just how those problems affect children is still unclear. This brief pulls together the current housing affordability/child well-being research and presents recommendations for policy changes that could help families and communities thrive.
Housing assistance programs have long waiting lists and are serving less than half of very low-income families with children.
14 million children are affected by rent burden.
Children of immigrant parents are disproportionately affected by rent burden compared to children of native-born parents.
Black and Hispanic children experience the highest rates of rent burden.
Unaffordable housing was associated with an increase in rates of behavior problems among teenagers.
Unaffordable housing was associated with lower health ratings for all the children.
Most parents with children affected by rent burden are native-born, have some college or more education, or work at least part time.
Rates of rent burden among rental households with children are about the same across every region of the United States.
