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.

In 2017-21, median rent in the region was 32% of median household income, in line with the national proportion of 31% and the statewide proportion of 34%. Among individual counties, Wyoming had the most affordable ratio (23%), while Wayne and Monroe (both at 33%) were the least affordable for renters.

From 2000 to 2017-21, rental housing became slightly less affordable in several counties in the region. The affordability ratio for both Wayne increased 5 percentage points, followed by Monroe at 3. Genesee and Seneca had increases of 2 points. The ratio was essentially flat in Livingston, Ontario, and Yates, and declined 2 percentage points in Orleans and Wyoming. In comparison, the state ratio increased by 6 points and the nation by 5 points over the same period.

The City of Rochester was among the least affordable communities for renters in Monroe County in 2017-21, with median rent at 38% of median household income, up 3 percentage points since 2000. East Rochester and the Village of Pittsford had among the lowest affordability ratios in Monroe County, at 21% and 22% respectively.

Multi-year figures are from the Census Bureau's 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. 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 fourth quarter.