Can you afford your housing costs?

Did you know that the median sales price of a house in Waukesha County is nearly $250,000, even with recently declining home values? The most recent median sales price listed on RealtyTrac, for May 2008, is $246,949. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development defines housing affordability as paying less than 30 percent of income on housing costs. So to afford even a "modest" house selling for $200,000, a household needs to make over $73,000.

And the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $795. To afford that, a household needs to make at least $15.29 per hour, but the estimated average wage for a renter in Waukesha County is only $13.31 per hour.

We've met people who are struggling to afford their housing costs, or settling for less space than they need, or further from their jobs than they'd like. Visit our website to hear the voices of these people.