© 2024
NPR for Northern Colorado
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Low-Income Earners Struggle to Find Affordable Housing

capl_@_washjeff.edu
/
Creative Commons

State housing officials say it’s increasingly difficult for low-income wage earners to find affordable housing – because most rental units are priced outside of their means.

Almost half of renters in Colorado are considered to be rent burdened – meaning they are spending 30% or more of their monthly income on housing. That’s across all income levels… but the burden becomes especially heavy for those who earn less than the state’s median salary of $55,735 a year.

“As you might expect, we find the majority of these, a bare majority – 51% of people who are rent-burdened - are found down at the $20,000 per year level or lower,” says Colorado Division of Housing spokesman Ryan McMaken.

One big challenge for those at the lowest income levels is the lack of affordable units – but McMaken says the availability varies by region.  Boulder and Ft. Collins/Loveland have the greatest mismatch between the need for affordable rentals and their availability.  Grand Junction, Pueblo and Greeley had the best ratio of affordable housing to need.

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
Related Content