Economic Security
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The ratio of the median home value divided by the median household income, adjusted for inflation, and shown for homeowners in various racial and ethnic groups.

Why is this important?

This ratio provides a rough estimate of the affordability of homes in a community. A ratio less than 2 or 3 is considered affordable. High housing costs can force households to choose between paying for housing and meeting other basic needs such as food, clothing and health care.

How is Westchester County performing?

In 2017-2021, Westchester County homes were most unaffordable for Hispanic and African American homeowners, with ratios of 5.7 and 5.3 respectively, followed by Whites (4.1) and Asians (3.7). Compared to the U.S., Westchester was less affordable for all groups, except Asians. Compared to New York State averages, however, Westchester was more affordable than the state average for all groups except Whites. This is likely a reflection of the fact that members of these groups in Westchester tend to have higher household incomes than the average in the rest of the state, increasing their overall ability to afford a home.

Since 2016-2020, the ratio has minimally decreased for all racial and ethnic groups except for African Americans which saw a slight increase. It should be noted that this comparison uses data from overlapping years and contains some of the same data.

Among comparison counties, Westchester has the highest cost ratio for Hispanic and African American homeowners, followed by Rockland with a 5.1 ratio for Hispanics and a 4.0 ratio for African Americans. It has the second highest rate among Asian homeowners, just behind Nassau at 3.9.

Why do these disparities exist?

Historic and current policies and systems, from racist housing policies to employment discrimination to education systems that fail to equitably serve all populations, have prevented people of color from fully participating in our economy, locking them out of economic opportunity. This has resulted in lower incomes for people of color, which means housing costs are a greater burden.

Notes about the data

Data are presented in 2022 dollars. Multi-year data are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample, which paired up Mount Vernon and New Rochelle due to relatively small populations. The American Community Survey combines five years of responses to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.

Cost of Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity, 2017-21
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanicWhite
Westchester County3.75.35.74.1
Nassau County3.93.54.33.7
Putnam County3.52.93.33.2
Rockland County3.24.05.15.1
New York State6.96.86.63.4
Mount Vernon/New Rochelle4.55.55.44.7
White PlainsN/A4.94.74.2
Yonkers3.85.46.55.4

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Ratio of median home value divided by the median household income, adjusted for inflation. A ratio less than 2 or 3 is considered affordable. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity.




Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity, 2017-21
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanicWhite
Westchester County$617,684$429,778$476,438$622,357
Nassau County$603,695$436,852$488,744$563,156
Putnam County$422,114$415,500$344,932$401,333
Rockland County$501,117$430,421$427,037$512,436
New York State$607,378$446,529$439,023$323,133
Mount Vernon/New Rochelle$629,395$439,404$521,886$685,546
White Plains$772,121$486,703$461,965$727,360
Yonkers$537,433$346,320$431,295$502,811

Source: U.S. Census Bureau












INDICATORS TREND | WESTCHESTER
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels 0
Maintaining
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 -1
Decreasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Single Female-Headed Households -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Serious Crimes -1
Decreasing
Reported Victims of Domestic Violence -1
Decreasing
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households With Internet Access, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Air Quality 1
Increasing
Population Density 0
Maintaining
Water Quality of the Long Island Sound 10 Not Applicable*
Open Space in Westchester County 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Population, by Age 10 Not Applicable*
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
People 65 or Older Living Alone -1
Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Change in Total Jobs 1
Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 10 Not Applicable*
Unemployment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Seniors Living in Poverty 1
Increasing
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Food Insecurity -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Public Assistance 0
Maintaining
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income 0
Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Rent Burdened Households -1
Decreasing
Homelessness, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness, by Sex 10 Not Applicable*
Per-Student Spending 0
Maintaining
Student Suspensions -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Enrollment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Mortality Rate from Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Diabetes Mortality, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Suicide Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*


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