The top 10 sacrifices Americans are making to afford housing today
Housing in the U.S. has never been so expensive. Home prices have risen for more than two years, and rents are near an all-time high. These costs are taking a toll on households. A majority of Americans can't afford a median priced-home where they live, and a record 24% of homeowners and 50% of renters now spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
This reality is reflected in a recent Redfin Real Estate survey, in which 44% of homeowners and renters said they struggle to afford housing. Gen Z and millennial households reported being under the most pressure, with 41% of homeowners and 70% of renters having difficulty making monthly payments.
To make ends meet, many people are making big sacrifices – from working extra hours to skipping meals or even forgoing medical treatment. It’s a clear sign of how much people are stretching to stay in their homes.
Let’s take a look at the most common things people are giving up to keep up with housing costs. Then we’ll analyze some of the less common but more significant tradeoffs.
The 10 most common sacrifices Americans are making to afford housing
Redfin Real Estate
The most common sacrifices tend to be smaller lifestyle changes rather than major family-related decisions. Two in five (41%) of those who struggle with housing payments said they eat out at restaurants less often to afford housing, making it the most common.
Family-related sacrifices Americans are making to afford housing
Some households reported making more significant family-related sacrifices for the sake of affordability. While less common, these changes ranged from moving in with parents, to giving up pets, to even postponing divorce.
Redfin Real Estate
Younger generations face the steepest challenges
Millennial and Gen Z households reported higher rates of struggle than Gen X and baby boomers. Among younger renters, 22% said they skip meals completely or have sold belongings to make their monthly payments, and 19% have delayed medical treatments.
When will affordability improve?
For homebuyers
While it may not feel like it, housing affordability has improved since the pandemic thanks to slower price growth, higher wages, and easing mortgage rates. But substantial improvement that will reverse the dramatic pandemic-era increases will take years, barring a major economic shift.
For renters
Renters have had it tough since the pandemic, especially low-income renters. Nationwide, prices are 24% higher than they were in January 2020, and the share of cost-burdened renters has skyrocketed.
However, more apartment construction has helped rent prices level out recently, helping affordability improve slightly as wages rise. If more supply hits the market, affordability could rise further – unlikely given the current economic landscape.
Methodology
Based on a 2025 Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos, which received responses from more than 4,000 U.S. homeowners and renters – around 2,000 of whom said they struggle to afford housing. The results for this combined group of survey respondents have a credibility interval of +/-2.7 percentage points.
The survey asked the respondents who said they struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payment (greatly, regularly, or sometimes) the following question: “Which of the following, if any, changes or sacrifices did you make in the past year to afford your monthly housing costs, including mortgage or rent, insurance, parking, heating/cooling/electricity or HOA dues?” Respondents could select all sacrifices that applied.
This story was produced by Redfin Real Estate and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.