The cost of renting a home has increased throughout the United States in recent years, most notably in urban areas. According to an analysis by Zillow, growth in rental costs far outpaced growth in income over the period 2000-14 — income increased by 25% on average, while rents increased by 53%. The analysis also found that residents of Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and New York paid the highest portions of their income on rent. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers housing to be unaffordable when its costs exceed 30% of a family’s income. A 2014 report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found that just over half of U.S. households paid more than 30% of their income towards rent in 2013, up from 38% of households in 2000. [read the full story here]