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Homeownership has long been considered one of the pillars of financial security in America. Still, for many households, the cost of maintaining that dream increasingly comes at the expense of daily financial stability. The commonly referenced 30% rule, which recommends that households not spend more than 30% of their income on housing, has become significantly harder to achieve as mortgage rates, insurance premiums, and property taxes rise.

Splitero leveraged data from the United States Census American Community Survey (ACS) to understand where residents are the most house-poor, meaning their housing costs make up 30% or more of their income, broken down by city. Using the most recent ACS release from 2024, this story reveals the top 10 and bottom 10 most house-poor cities, among cities with at least 40,000 owner occupied housing units.

These values were then compared to those in 2019 to highlight the stark differences in each city 5 years apart. These findings show sharp geographic divides and rapid affordability deterioration across the Sun Belt and coastal markets, despite some Midwest and Southern metros remaining relatively insulated.

Key Takeaways

• The most house-poor metros are dominated by California and Florida, led by Los Angeles, where 47.6% of mortgage owners spend at least 30% of their income on housing.
• The least house-poor metros are concentrated in the Midwest and Southeast, with places like Huntsville (19.4%), Chandler (20.0%), and Chattanooga (21.9%) keeping a much smaller share of owners above the 30% threshold.
• Affordability is deteriorating fastest in emerging hot spots such as Cape Coral and North Las Vegas, where the share of cost-burdened homeowners has surged from roughly 27% to more than 42% since 2019.
• California stands out statewide: across its 20 largest owner-occupied cities, 39.4% of mortgage owners now exceed the 30% rule (up from 37.5% in 2019).

Metros with the highest and lowest share of homeowners spending above 30% of their income

The nation’s most house-poor metros overwhelmingly cluster in California, Florida, and major urban coastal markets, according to data from 2024:

1. Los Angeles, California: 47.6%

2. Chula Vista, California: 45.2%

3. Cape Coral, Florida: 44.3%

4. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: 44.2%

T-5. Miami, Florida: 44%

T-5. New York, New York: 44%

T-7. Honolulu, Hawai’i: 43%

T-7. New Orleans, Louisiana: 43%

9. North Las Vegas, Nevada: 42.9%

10. Irvine, California: 42.8%

There are a myriad of reasons why these metros have seen mortgage owners spending more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing, but price changes on homes in these markets are a major factor. Limited supply amid increased demand, higher costs of capital, and wage adjustments mean the

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In 2026, the fastest-growing small businesses for entrepreneurs are in business and the efficient use of AI, healthcare and wellness services, and clean energy. Read this to see which industries have the most opportunities in the next 12 months — and how small business owners are shaping the next phase of the economy.

NEXT’s list of fast-growing small businesses for the year is based on analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Fastest Growing Occupations list, national news, cultural trends and research from the hundreds of types of professions across the country that we serve and protect.

Growing business and technology opportunities for entrepreneurs

Technology is rewriting what small businesses can do — and who can do it. From AI to clean tech, innovation is opening doors for entrepreneurs who help other businesses stay secure and connected.

1. AI and machine learning consultants

Companies of all sizes are eager for guidance on how to use AI responsibly and effectively. Employment for computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 20% through 2034. 

In particular, job postings for management consultants mentioning AI skills jumped from 0.2% to 12.4% in a year, showing how fast demand is accelerating. Entrepreneurs with backgrounds in computer science, data analysis or software engineering can build AI-focused consulting firms that help businesses automate tasks, analyze data and integrate AI tools.

2. Cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure consulting

Cybersecurity has become a must-have for any internet-connected business. And employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 29% through 2034; much faster than average job growth. Gartner projects global spending on security services to grow 15% in 2025. reaching $86 billion, signaling steady demand.

If you’ve got IT or networking experience, this is an ideal space to go solo. Independent IT consultants can offer services like risk assessment, data protection and cloud migration. Most hold a degree in computer science or cybersecurity, alon

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