Zillow reports that, on average, rent can make up around 41.6 percent of the income of service members who want to live off base – compared to 30 percent for civilians nationwide.
Buying is cheaper, as military households usually pay around 31.5 percent of their income toward mortgage payments. But this is twice the amount of share civilians pay, and the high-mobility demands of a military career means buying may not make much financial sense.
The numbers vary greatly by market. In San Diego, service members living off base should expect to pay 65.5 percent of their income on mortgage payments or 59.6 percent on rent, while at Fort Hood, Texas, they would pay just 15.1 percent of their income for a mortgage or 29.1 percent on rent.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Affordability
The Disappearing Act That Is Middle-Income Housing
An expert weighs in on the diminishing supply of middle-income housing, which is particularly acute in California, and what to do about it
Off-Site Construction
Utah Passes Bill to Regulate Modular Construction at the State Level
Goals for housing innovation and affordability meet in the Utah's passage of a new bill that establishes a statewide modular construction program
Affordability
Affordability Improves, but the Average Worker Still Struggles to Afford a Home
Homeownership around the U.S. continues to require historically large portions of worker wages, a new housing-affordability report finds