West Virginia and Kansas had the lowest cost of living across all U.S. states, with composite costs being half of those found in Hawaii. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. In West Virginia, the cost of living index amounted to **** — well below the national benchmark of 100. Virginia— which had an index value of ***** — was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California. Housing costs in the U.S. Housing is usually the highest expense in a household’s budget. In 2023, the average house sold for approximately ******* U.S. dollars, but house prices in the Northeast and West regions were significantly higher. Conversely, the South had some of the least expensive housing. In West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the median price of the typical single-family home was less than ******* U.S. dollars. That makes living expenses in these states significantly lower than in states such as Hawaii and California, where housing is much pricier. What other expenses affect the cost of living? Utility costs such as electricity, natural gas, water, and internet also influence the cost of living. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut, the average monthly utility cost exceeded *** U.S. dollars. That was because of the significantly higher prices for electricity and natural gas in these states.

This statistic shows the most affordable metro areas in the Unites States in 2017, by share of income spent on living expenses. In 2017, Omaha was the second most affordable metro area because ***** percent of the median blending annual household income was spent on the average cost of owning or renting a home as well the average cost of utilities and taxes.

This map uses a two-color thematic shading to emphasize where areas experience the least to the most affordable housing across the US. This web map is part of the How Affordable is the American Dream story map.

Esri’s Housing Affordability Index (HAI) is a powerful tool to analyze local real estate markets. Esri’s housing affordability index measures the financial ability of a typical household to purchase an existing home in an area. A HAI of 100 represents an area that on average has sufficient household income to qualify for a loan on a home valued at the median home price. An index greater than 100 suggests homes are easily afforded by the average area resident. A HAI less than 100 suggests that homes are less affordable. The housing affordability index is not applicable in areas with no households or in predominantly rental markets . Esri’s home value estimates cover owner-occupied homes only. For a full demographic analysis of US growth refer to Esri's Trending in 2017: The Selectivity of Growth.

The pop-up is configured to show the following 2017 demographics for each County and ZIP Code:

Total Households 2010-17 Annual Pop Change Median Age Percent Owner-Occupied Housing Units Median Household Income Median Home Value Housing Affordability Index Share of Income to Mortgage

The Housing Affordability Data System (HADS) is a set of files derived from the 1985 and later national American Housing Survey (AHS) and the 2002 and later Metro AHS. This system categorizes housing units by affordability and households by income, with respect to the Adjusted Median Income, Fair Market Rent (FMR), and poverty income. It also includes housing cost burden for owner and renter households. These files have been the basis for the worst case needs tables since 2001. The data files are available for public use, since they were derived from AHS public use files and the published income limits and FMRs. These dataset give the community of housing analysts the opportunity to use a consistent set of affordability measures. The most recent year HADS is available as a Public Use File (PUF) is 2013. For 2015 and beyond, HADS is only available as an IUF and can no longer be released on a PUF. Those seeking access to more recent data should reach to the listed point of contact.

Graph and download economic data for Housing Affordability Index (Fixed) (FIXHAI) from Sep 2024 to Sep 2025 about fixed, housing, indexes, and USA.

In 2024, the annual cost for a private room in an assisted living facility in the U.S. amounted to ****** U.S. dollars. However, costs varied greatly from one state to another. The most expensive states for a private room in assisted living was found in Hawaii, followed by Alaska and DC.

Quality of life is a measure of comfort, health, and happiness by a person or a group of people. Quality of life is determined by both material factors, such as income and housing, and broader considerations like health, education, and freedom. Each year, US & World News releases its “Best States to Live in” report, which ranks states on the quality of life each state provides its residents. In order to determine rankings, U.S. News & World Report considers a wide range of factors, including healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and the natural environment. More information on these categories and what is measured in each can be found below:

Healthcare includes access, quality, and affordability of healthcare, as well as health measurements, such as obesity rates and rates of smoking. Education measures how well public schools perform in terms of testing and graduation rates, as well as tuition costs associated with higher education and college debt load. Economy looks at GDP growth, migration to the state, and new business. Infrastructure includes transportation availability, road quality, communications, and internet access. Opportunity includes poverty rates, cost of living, housing costs and gender and racial equality. Fiscal Stability considers the health of the government's finances, including how well the state balances its budget. Crime and Corrections ranks a state’s public safety and measures prison systems and their populations. Natural Environment looks at the quality of air and water and exposure to pollution.

Among the largest cities in the United States, renting an apartment was most affordable in Wichita, KS, in 2024. On average, renters in Wichita could rent an ***** square foot apartment for ***** U.S. dollars. The average apartment rent varies widely across different metros and states, with Hawaii, California, and Washington D.C. fetching the most expensive rents.

Quality of Life by State 2024

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This dataset provides insights into the quality of life across different states in the United States for the year 2024. Quality of life, encompassing aspects like comfort, health, and happiness, is evaluated through various metrics including affordability, economy, education, and safety. Dive into this dataset to understand how different states fare in terms of overall quality of life and its individual components.

Columns Description

• State: The name of the U.S. state.
• QualityOfLifeTotalScore: The total score representing the overall quality of life for the respective state. This score is calculated based on various quality of life metrics.
• QualityOfLifeQualityOfLife: The score representing the quality of life aspect for the respective state. This aspect may include subjective factors related to happiness, satisfaction, and overall well-being. Higher scores may indicate a higher level of subjective well-being, happiness, or overall satisfaction among residents. Lower scores could suggest lower levels of subjective well-being.
• QualityOfLifeAffordability: The score representing the affordability aspect of the quality of life for the respective state. This aspect evaluates factors such as cost of living, housing affordability, and income levels. Higher scores typically indicate greater affordability of housing, cost of living, and basic necessities. Lower scores may suggest that these essentials are less accessible or more expensive for residents.
• QualityOfLifeEconomy: The score representing the economic aspect of the quality of life for the respective state. This aspect assesses factors such as employment opportunities, economic growth, and income distribution. Higher scores may reflect a stronger economy with more job opportunities, higher incomes, and lower levels of poverty. Lower scores might indicate economic challenges such as unemployment or income inequality.
• QualityOfLifeEducationAndHealth: The score representing the education and health aspect of the quality of life for the respective state. This aspect considers factors such as access to quality education, healthcare facilities, and overall public health indicators. Higher scores generally signify better access to quality education, healthcare services, and overall public health. Lower scores may indicate deficiencies in these areas, such as limited access to healthcare or lower educational attainment levels.
• QualityOfLifeSafety: The score representing the safety aspect of the quality of life for the respective state. This aspect evaluates factors such as crime rates, public safety measures, and community well-being initiatives. Higher scores suggest lower crime rates, better community safety, and a higher sense of security among residents. Lower scores may indicate higher crime rates or concerns about safety.

These descriptions provide an overview of what each column represents and the specific aspects of quality of life they assess for each U.S. state.

The Housing Affordability Index value in the United States plummeted in 2022, surpassing the historical record of ***** index points in 2006. In 2024, the housing affordability index measured **** index points, making it the second-worst year for homebuyers since the start of the observation period. What does the Housing Affordability Index mean? The Housing Affordability Index uses data provided by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). It measures whether a family earning the national median income can afford the monthly mortgage payments on a median-priced existing single-family home. An index value of 100 means that a family has exactly enough income to qualify for a mortgage on a home. The higher the index value, the more affordable a house is to a family. Key factors that drive the real estate market Income, house prices, and mortgage rates are some of the most important factors influencing homebuyer sentiment. When incomes increase, consumer power also increases. The median household income in the United States declined in 2022, affecting affordability. Additionally, mortgage interest rates have soared, adding to the financial burden of homebuyers. The sales price of existing single-family homes in the U.S. has increased year-on-year since 2011 and reached ******* U.S. dollars in 2023.

United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Purpose: For Rent data was reported at 90.000 Unit th in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 88.000 Unit th for Jun 2018. United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Purpose: For Rent data is updated quarterly, averaging 67.000 Unit th from Mar 1974 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 179 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 148.000 Unit th in Jun 1986 and a record low of 16.000 Unit th in Mar 2010. United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Purpose: For Rent data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.EA014: Private Housing Units: Started: By Purpose and Design.

First launched by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Transportation (DOT) in November 2013, the Location Affordability Index (LAI) provides ubiquitous, standardized household housing and transportation cost estimates for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Because what is affordable is different for everyone, users can choose among eight household profiles—which vary by household income, size, and number of commuters—and see the impact of the built environment on affordability in a given location while holding household demographics constant.

Version 3 updates the constituent data sets with 2012-2016 American Community Survey data and makes several methodological tweaks, most notably moving to modeling at the Census tract level rather at the block group. As with Version 2, the inputs to the simultaneous equation model (SEM) include six endogenous variables—housing costs, car ownership, and transit usage for both owners and renters—and 18 exogenous variables, with vehicle miles traveled still modeled separately due to data limitations.To learn more about the Location Affordability Index (v.3) visit: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/location-affordability-index/, for questions about the spatial attribution of this dataset, please reach out to us at GISHelpdesk@hud.gov. Date of Coverage: 2012-2016 Data Dictionary: DD_Location Affordability Indev v.3.0LAI Version 3 Data and MethodologyLAI Version 3 Technical Documentation

The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R) Traditional Housing Affordability Index (HAI) measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase the median priced home in the state and regions of California based on traditional assumptions. C.A.R. also reports its traditional and first-time buyer indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The HAI is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for buyers in the state.

View monthly updates and historical trends for US Fixed Housing Affordability Index. from United States. Source: National Association of Realtors. Track e…

United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Unit per Building: 2 to 4 data was reported at 3.000 Unit th in Mar 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.000 Unit th for Dec 2017. United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Unit per Building: 2 to 4 data is updated quarterly, averaging 10.000 Unit th from Mar 1974 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 177 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.000 Unit th in Sep 1979 and a record low of 2.000 Unit th in Mar 2017. United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Unit per Building: 2 to 4 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.EA014: Private Housing Units: Started: By Purpose and Design.

Graph and download economic data for New Privately Owned Housing Starts in the United States, Average Square Feet Per Unit for Two or More Units (HOUSTSFLAA2UMQ) from Q1 1999 to Q2 2025 about housing starts, privately owned, new, housing, and USA.

Private Housing Units Started: saar: 5 or More Units data was reported at 0.304 Unit mn in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.381 Unit mn for May 2018. Private Housing Units Started: saar: 5 or More Units data is updated monthly, averaging 0.326 Unit mn from Jan 1959 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 714 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.000 Unit mn in Mar 1973 and a record low of 0.053 Unit mn in Oct 2009. Private Housing Units Started: saar: 5 or More Units data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.EA008: Private Housing Units: Started and Authorized: Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate.

[Metadata] Inventory of the State of Hawaii’s affordable housing projects as of February 2023. The list includes affordable housing projects owned by private, non-profit, or governmental entities, developed with funding or support from federal, state or county resources. Data was downloaded from the HHFDC website (https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hhfdc/affordable-housing-inventory/affordable-rental-housing-inventory/) in PDF format by Hawaii Statewide GIS Program staff, converted to Excel and geocoded in ArcGIS Pro. Projects with no addresses were not included. Data updates are posted periodically on the HHFDC website; users should check the site for the latest copy of the PDF file. For more information, please refer to metadata at https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/op/gis/data/Afford_Rent_Hsng_Inv_HHFDC.pdf or contact Hawaii Statewide GIS Program, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, State of Hawaii; PO Box 2359, Honolulu, Hi. 96804; (808) 587-2846; email: gis@hawaii.gov; Website: https://planning.hawaii.gov/gis.

United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Square Feet per Unit: Media data was reported at 1,106.000 sq ft in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,022.000 sq ft for Mar 2018. United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Square Feet per Unit: Media data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,105.500 sq ft from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,230.000 sq ft in Sep 2006 and a record low of 1,002.000 sq ft in Mar 2011. United States Private Housing Starts: 2 or More Units: Square Feet per Unit: Media data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.EA014: Private Housing Units: Started: By Purpose and Design.

Graph and download economic data for New Privately Owned Housing Completions in the United States, Median Square Feet Per Unit for Two or More Units (COMPSFLAM2UMQ) from Q1 1987 to Q2 2025 about 2 units +, privately owned, new, median, housing, and USA.