How Many Are 'Rent Burdened' In Westborough?: Census

WESTBOROUGH, MA -- The old real estate rule of thumb is that you should spend no more than 30 percent of your household income on housing costs.

While the 30 percent rule has been debated in recent years, federal guidelines say that anyone who pays more than 30 percent of their income in rent is "rent burdened." That can leave renters living paycheck to paycheck and make it difficult for them to save enough for a down payment to become homeowners.

The new Census data showed that the median rent for all apartment types in Westborough was $1,362 in 2016. That comes to $16,344 per year. To afford that rent and not be considered burdened, household income would need to be about $44,000. Median household income in Westborough was $106,915 in 2016, according to the Census data, which was based on the 2016 American Community Survey.

Gross Rent As A Percentage Of Household Income In Westborough In 2016:

Statewide, median rent was $1,129 per month in 2016, up 8.9 percent from $1,037 in 2011. Median home values in Massachusetts were $341,000 in 2016, down 7.3 percent from $343,500 in 2011.

The total number of housing units in Westborough in 2016 was 7,238, up .99 percent from 7,225 in 2011.

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Dave Copeland, Patch staff, contributed to this story

Patch file photo