The Affordability Score is a Livably metric that simplifies complex financial data into a single, easy-to-understand number from 0 to 100.
Formula
The core calculation:
Score = (Median Income / (Median Rent × 12)) × 30
This is then clamped to a 0-100 range.
Interpretation
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 80-100 | Excellent — Income well exceeds housing costs |
| 60-79 | Good — Comfortable ratio |
| 40-59 | Fair — Housing takes a significant income share |
| 20-39 | Poor — Housing costs may be burdensome |
| 0-19 | Critical — Severe affordability concerns |
What It Captures
- Income-to-rent ratio (primary factor)
- A score of 60+ generally means the 30% rule (spend no more than 30% of income on housing) is achievable
Limitations
- Uses median values — your personal situation may differ
- Doesn't account for household size
- Doesn't include homeownership costs (down payments, maintenance)
- Based on 1-bedroom median rent