More than one in four renters, or around 11.2 million households, were severely burdened, according to 2013 data, up by more than 3 million since 2000. Adding in those facing "moderate" burdens—or spending 30-50 percent of income on housing—brings the total to just under half of all renters.
The number of people in poor households living doubled up with family and friends grew to 7.7 million people.
It's about to get even worse, a new study has found.
The number of households severely burdened by rent—or those spending more than 50 percent of their income on rent—is set to rise at least 11 percent from an estimated 11.8 million this year to 13.1 million by 2025.