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.

Why is this important?

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

How are Cayuga and Seneca counties performing?

In 2006–10, 28% of renter income in Cayuga and 29% in Seneca went to rent, utilities and fuel each month, below the state (excluding NYC) level of 34% and the national level of 32%. The proportions for comparison counties were all over 30%, and as high as 36% in Oswego. Since 2000, the proportion of income consumed by rent in Cayuga and Seneca increased a percentage point or two, while levels in comparison counties increased between 3 to 7 points and state and national rates increased 6 points. There were a few local areas in Cayuga and Seneca with levels well above 30%, including, Cato, Meridian and Lodi.

Notes about the data

Figures are from the Census Bureau’s 2006–10 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.