Four Florida cities rank among the most “house-poor” in America, according to a recent report by ConsumerAffairs that analyzed census data from cities with populations exceeding 175,000.

Hialeah tops the national list as the most house-poor city, where residents spend approximately 36.9% of their income on housing costs. At about $2,200 monthly, housing costs in Hialeah are only 7.5% higher than the national average, but the city has one of the lowest median household incomes among analyzed cities — more than a third (34%) below the national median.

Miami, Pembroke Pines, and St. Petersburg also placed in the top 10 most house-poor cities. In Miami, homeowners spend an average of 32.3% of their income on mortgages, with residents earning 6.5% more than the national median household income but spending an average of $2,900 on housing, which is 35% higher than the national average.

The term “house-poor” refers to homeowners who can afford their mortgage but have limited funds remaining for other expenses such as groceries, healthcare, retirement savings, or vacations.

The report recommends homeowners follow the 28/36 rule: spending no more than 28% of monthly income on housing costs and no more than 36% on all debt payments combined, including credit cards, student loans, car payments, and mortgages. Finance experts also encourage following the “50/30/20” rule — allocating 50% for needs (including housing), 30% for wants, and 20% for savings and debt repayment.

Nationwide, median household income rose 24% over the last five years while monthly housing costs increased by 26%, according to ConsumerAffairs.

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