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. High housing costs can force households to choose between paying for housing and meeting other basic needs such as food, clothing and health care.

Median rent in the region was least affordable for African American and Hispanic renters, representing 40% and 35% of median household income, respectively, in 2017-21. By comparison, median rent for Asian and white renters was 23% and 27% of median income, respectively. The affordability ratio for Black renters in the region was 7 percentage points higher than at the state or national level, and the ratio for Hispanic renters was similar to the state but 4 points higher than the nation.

Ratios were similar for Monroe County. Renters of all races and ethnicities spent a higher share of income on rent in the City of Rochester in 2017-21, but disparities remained. African American renters spent 44% of median income on rent; Hispanic renters, 39%; Asian renters, 29%; and white renters, 30%.

In 2017-21, median rent in Monroe County was approximate $1,000 for white, Hispanic and Asian renters, and $950 for African American renters. There was less variation among median rents for different racial and ethnic groups in Monroe County (the highest median rent was 7% greater than the lowest) than at the national and state levels (31% and 22%, respectively).

Historic and current policies and systems, from racist housing policies to employment discrimination to education systems that fail to equitably serve all populations, have prevented people of color from fully participating in our economy, locking them out of economic opportunity. This has resulted in lower incomes for people of color, which means housing costs are a greater burden. At the same time, housing costs are rising faster than incomes and affordable housing is limited.

Multiyear data are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample, which paired up four counties (Orleans/Genesee, Wyoming/Livingston) due to relatively small populations. The American Community Survey combines five years of responses to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the first quarter.