More than 12 million Americans are spending at least half their entire paycheck on rent, Harvard study says

• Over 12 million Americans spent more than half their income on rent and utilities in 2022, a Harvard study says.
• The study, by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies, found a sharp rise in people spending large portions of their pay on rent.
• The researchers cited "rapidly rising rents during the pandemic" and a shortage of affordable units.

An estimated 12.1 million Americans are spending more than half their income on rent and utilities, a study from Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies says.

Based on estimates from the US Census Bureau, the study reports this is more people than at any other time for which data is available.