Cost burdened: 51% of Vancouver-Portland metro renters spend at least third of income on housing, utilities

May 28-Housing costs are swallowing a growing share of renters' incomes in the Vancouver-Portland metro area.

Housing and utilities account for a third or more of monthly earnings for 51 percent of Vancouver-Portland renters, according to March data from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The report says renters should spend about 30 percent of their gross annual income on rent to balance all cost-of-living necessities.

"For millions of renters, especially those with lower and moderate incomes, housing is deeply unaffordable," Chris Herbert, managing director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies, said in a news release. "Years of rent increases and the loss of lower-cost units have left many households with no cushion and very few options."

The report found that more than 207,000 renter households are cost-burdened in the Vancouver-Portland region, where renters' median household income is $65,000 and median rent is $1,730.

The report also states that more than 27 percent - or 108,000 renter households - are severely cost-burdened. That means they spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing and utilities.

Harvard researchers found that the affordability crisis is no longer confined to the lowest-income households.

"We're now seeing growing cost burdens among renters earning $45,000 to $75,000 and even among higher-income renters," said Whitney Airgood-Obrycki, a senior research associate at the center. "At the same time, lower-income households are facing record levels of strain, with very little left over each month after paying for housing."

This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

Unlock all stories. Stay informed.

Starting at just $1.99/week

Become a subscriber and get unlimited access to every story, plus our ePaper and app for seamless reading anywhere. Stay informed, support local journalism, and stay connected to your community.

Subscribe today

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 6:07 PM.