Half of US Renters Can No Longer , Afford Housing, Study Finds.br A growing number of households are br struggling to pay rent, according to a new report by the br Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.br The study found that a record half br of renters in the United States paid over br 30 of their income toward rent and utilities in 2022. .br Almost half of those people were br found to be extremely cost-burdened, br paying over 50 of their income. .br We actually saw increases across br every single income category that we br look at, which sort of surprised us, Whitney Airgood-Obrycki, senior research associate br with the center and the report's lead author, via NPR.br The study found that the largest leap inbr unaffordability was for households with an br annual income between $30,000 and $74,000. .br The study found that the largest leap inbr unaffordability was for households with an br annual income between $30,000 and $74,000. .br Among those with full-time jobs, br a third of all renters were living br under cost-burdened conditions.br For those making less than $30,000 br a year, a staggering all-time high br of 83 were cost-burdened.br At the same time, homeless rates in br the U.S. have also hit a record high. .br We simply don't have enough br homes that people can afford, Jeff Olivet, executive director of br the U.S. Interagency Council br on Homelessness, via NPR.br And when you combine rapidly br rising rent — that it just costs more br per month for people to get into br a place and keep a place — you get br this vicious game of musical chairs, Jeff Olivet, executive director of br the U.S.