Portugal, the Netherlands and Austria are among the countries where house prices grew the most in comparison to income since 2015. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the house price to income ratio in the Netherlands and Austria exceeded 120 index points, indicating that since 2015, house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent. In Portugal, the index amounted to 153 index points in the same period. This was not the case in all countries in the ranking: In Finland, Bulgaria, and Romania, the opposite trend was observed, showing that incomes grew faster than house prices. The house price to income ratio is calculated as the nominal house prices divided by nominal income per capita, with 2015 chosen as the base year of the index. The ratio signifies the development of hosing affordability, with higher figures meaning housing is more unaffordable. There are other indices, such as RHPI (or house price indices corrected by inflation rates) which look at this as well.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2023. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 117.5 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

Taiwan Housing Price to Income Ratio data was reported at 9.160 Times in Dec 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.220 Times for Sep 2017. Taiwan Housing Price to Income Ratio data is updated quarterly, averaging 6.735 Times from Mar 2002 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.460 Times in Jun 2017 and a record low of 4.150 Times in Sep 2002. Taiwan Housing Price to Income Ratio data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Taiwan – Table TW.EB017: Housing Price and Housing Loan Payment to Income Ratio.

United States US: Price to Income Ratio: sa data was reported at 130.087 2015=100 in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 128.571 2015=100 for 2023. United States US: Price to Income Ratio: sa data is updated yearly, averaging 113.539 2015=100 from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2024, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 132.929 2015=100 in 1979 and a record low of 90.287 2015=100 in 2012. United States US: Price to Income Ratio: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.AHPI: House Price Index: Seasonally Adjusted: OECD Member: Annual. Nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head. Net household disposable income is used. The population data come from the OECD national accounts database.

The house price to income ratio in Francedecreased by 8.3 index points in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same period the previous year, reflecting a slowdown in the housing market. In 2023, the house price to income ratio amounted to 104.5 index points. The ratio is calculated by dividing nominal house prices by disposable income per head, with the index value of 100 in 2015. A ratio of 110 index points shows that house prices have grown 10 percent faster than income since 2015.

The house price to income ratio in the U.S. increased in 2023, after falling slightly in the second half of 2022. The ratio measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing the nominal house price by the nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. In the third quarter of 2024, the index score amounted to 130.3, which means that house price growth has outpaced income growth by over 30 percent since 2015.Stagnant wages Average annual real wages steadily rose until 2014 but have since remained stagnant. However, single-family house prices have continued to increase. This disparity has resulted in decreased housing affordability. Average wages needed to buy a home The share of wages needed to buy a median priced home in the United States has been steadily increasing since 2012. This trend is reflected in the house price to income ratio as well. The availability of affordable housing will become more important, if the price to income ratio continues to develop in this way.

Affordability ratios calculated by dividing house prices by gross annual workplace-based earnings. Based on the median and lower quartiles of both house prices and earnings in England and Wales.

The house price to income ratio in Germany in the first quarter of 2024 declined notably from its peak in 2022. The ratio measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. Germany's index score in the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 109.7, which means that house price growth had outpaced income growth by about 10 percent since 2015. This was below the average house price to income area in the Euro area 16.

The house price ratio in Italy declined between 2012 and 2024. The ratio measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. Italy's index score in the second quarter of 2024 amounted to 86.2, meaning that income growth has outpaced house price growth. Most of the countries in the Euro area observed the opposite trend, with house prices having risen at a faster pace than income.

The housing affordability measure illustrates the relationship between income and housing costs. A household that spends 30% or more of its collective monthly income to cover housing costs is considered to be “housing cost-burden[ed].”[1] Those spending between 30% and 49.9% of their monthly income are categorized as “moderately housing cost-burden[ed],” while those spending more than 50% are categorized as “severely housing cost-burden[ed].”[2]

How much a household spends on housing costs affects the household’s overall financial situation. More money spent on housing leaves less in the household budget for other needs, such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care, as well as for incidental purchases and saving for the future.

The estimated housing costs as a percentage of household income are categorized by tenure: all households, those that own their housing unit, and those that rent their housing unit.

Throughout the period of analysis, the percentage of housing cost-burdened renter households in Champaign County was higher than the percentage of housing cost-burdened homeowner households in Champaign County. All three categories saw year-to-year fluctuations between 2005 and 2023, and none of the three show a consistent trend. However, all three categories were estimated to have a lower percentage of housing cost-burdened households in 2023 than in 2005.

Data on estimated housing costs as a percentage of monthly income was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates, which are released annually.

As with any datasets that are estimates rather than exact counts, it is important to take into account the margins of error (listed in the column beside each figure) when drawing conclusions from the data.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of providing the standard 1-year data products, the Census Bureau released experimental estimates from the 1-year data in 2020. This includes a limited number of data tables for the nation, states, and the District of Columbia. The Census Bureau states that the 2020 ACS 1-year experimental tables use an experimental estimation methodology and should not be compared with other ACS data. For these reasons, and because data is not available for Champaign County, no data for 2020 is included in this Indicator.

For interested data users, the 2020 ACS 1-Year Experimental data release includes a dataset on Housing Tenure.

[1] Schwarz, M. and E. Watson. (2008). Who can afford to live in a home?: A look at data from the 2006 American Community Survey. U.S. Census Bureau.

[2] Ibid.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (17 October 2024).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (22 September 2023).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (30 September 2022).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (10 June 2021).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (10 June 2021).;U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2017 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (13 September 2018).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2016 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (14 September 2017).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (19 September 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2013 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2012 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2009 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2008 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; 16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2007 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2006 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2005 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B25106; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).

Price to Rent Ratio in the United States decreased to 133.63 in the third quarter of 2024 from 134.25 in the second quarter of 2024. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Price to Rent Ratio.

Croatia Price to Income Ratio: sa data was reported at 88.614 2015=100 in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 90.986 2015=100 for Sep 2024. Croatia Price to Income Ratio: sa data is updated quarterly, averaging 101.679 2015=100 from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 128.414 2015=100 in Sep 2008 and a record low of 88.614 2015=100 in Dec 2024. Croatia Price to Income Ratio: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Croatia – Table HR.OECD.AHPI: House Price Index: Seasonally Adjusted: Non OECD Member: Quarterly. Nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head. Net household disposable income is used. The population data come from the OECD national accounts database.

South Africa ZA: Price to Income Ratio: sa data was reported at 90.320 2015=100 in 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 92.422 2015=100 for 2023. South Africa ZA: Price to Income Ratio: sa data is updated yearly, averaging 98.221 2015=100 from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2024, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 132.663 2015=100 in 2007 and a record low of 71.323 2015=100 in 1997. South Africa ZA: Price to Income Ratio: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.OECD.AHPI: House Price Index: Seasonally Adjusted: Non OECD Member: Annual. Nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head. Net household disposable income is used. The population data come from the OECD national accounts database.

New Zealand has one of the highest house price-to-income ratios in the world; nonetheless, since the first quarter of 2022, the country's house price-to-income ratio started to trend downward. In the third quarter of 2024, the ratio was 118, a slight decrease from the same quarter of the previous year. This ratio was calculated by dividing nominal house prices by nominal disposable income per head and is considered a measure of affordability. Homeownership dream New Zealand has been in what is widely considered a housing bubble. The disproportionately large increases in residential house prices have placed the dream of owning their own home out of reach for many in the country. In 2024, around 28 percent of residential properties were sold for over a million New Zealand dollars. The majority of mortgage lending in the country went to owner-occupiers where the property was not their first home, with first-home buyers often struggling to secure a loan. In general, only New Zealand residents and citizens can buy homes in the country to live in, with new regulations tightening investment activity in that market. Rent affordability Due to New Zealand's high property prices, many individuals and families are stuck renting for prolonged periods. However, with rent prices increasing across the country and the share of monthly income spent on rent trending upwards in tandem with a highly competitive rental market, renting is becoming a less appealing prospect for many. The Auckland and Bay of Plenty regions had the highest weekly rent prices across the country as of December 2024, with the Southland region recording the lowest rent prices per week.

Data on resident buyers who are persons that purchased a residential property in a market sale and filed their T1 tax return form: number of and incomes of residential property buyers, sale price, price-to-income ratio by the number of buyers as part of a sale, age groups, first-time home buyer status, buyer characteristics (sex, family type, immigration status, period of immigration, admission category).

The house price to income ratio index in Spain increased by about 15 index points between 2015 and the second quarter of 2024. The ratio measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. Spain's index score in the second quarter of 2024 amounted to 115.5, which means that house price growth has outpaced income growth by more than 15 percent since 2015. This was slightly higher than the Euro area 17 average.

Global House Standardised Price-Income Ratio by Country, 2023 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Ireland IE: Standardised Price-Income Ratio: sa data was reported at 112.805 Ratio in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 112.502 Ratio for Jun 2024. Ireland IE: Standardised Price-Income Ratio: sa data is updated quarterly, averaging 97.044 Ratio from Mar 1977 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 191 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 154.995 Ratio in Mar 2007 and a record low of 72.908 Ratio in Sep 1993. Ireland IE: Standardised Price-Income Ratio: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ireland – Table IE.OECD.AHPI: House Price Index: Seasonally Adjusted: OECD Member: Quarterly. Nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head. Net household disposable income is used. The population data come from the OECD national accounts database. The long-term average is calculated over the whole period available when the indicator begins after 1980 or after 1980 if the indicator is longer. This value is used as a reference value. The ratio is calculated by dividing the indicator source on this long-term average, and indexed to a reference value equal to 100.

Affordability ratios calculated by dividing house prices by gross annual residence-based earnings. Based on the median and lower quartiles of both house prices and earnings in England and Wales.

The house price ratio in Norway fluctuated between 2012 and 2024. The ratio measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. Norway's index score in the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 110, which means that house price growth had outpaced income growth by 10 percent since 2015. This was lower than the average house price to income ratio in the Euro area 16.