Alaska Among Country’s Highest For Rates Of People At Risk Of Deportation Or Seizure | Bulletin
High housing costs, the potential end of an eviction moratorium, and prolonged unemployment have left many Americans worried about keeping a roof over their heads. We found that nationally, almost 25% of people (1 in 4) fear facing a foreclosure or eviction in the next two months.
Main conclusions:
- Almost 6% of people are behind on their mortgage payments.
- Rhode Island, Louisiana and Arkansas have the largest number of people at risk of seizure.
- Maine, Arizona and Colorado have the highest number of people facing deportation.
Across the country, housing costs have increased by nearly 70% in the last decade. Income, meanwhile, only increased by 30% over the same period. Combine this disparity with a record unemployment pandemic and we find ourselves in a situation where housing has simply become unaffordable for many people.
Our team of analysts found that 7% of Americans are worried about losing their home soon, and 6% are behind on their mortgage payments. These numbers, however, vary widely from state to state.
| state | % threatened with seizure | % late on mortgage payments |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 14.5% | 5.0% |
| Louisiana | 12.1% | 7.9% |
| Arkansas | 11.5% | 12.2% |
| Nevada | 10.9% | 7.4% |
| Georgia | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| Texas | 8.8% | 8.0% |
| Mississippi | 8.7% | 11.8% |
| Alaska | 8.0% | 6.3% |
| Caroline from the south | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| New Jersey | 7.1% | 8.3% |
While many people fear losing their homes, the threat of eviction is even greater. Rental prices are on the rise in the suburbs, and we found 11 states where more than 25% of people fear they won’t be able to pay rent in the next two months.
| state | % at risk of deportation |
|---|---|
| Maine | 70.2% |
| Arizona | 40.8% |
| Colorado | 40.1% |
| Wyoming | 38.4% |
| Rhode Island | 38.4% |
| Arkansas | 33.1% |
| Alaska | 32.3% |
| Nebraska | 29.4% |
| Wisconsin | 27.3% |
| Oregon | 27.3% |
| Note: Eviction figures for Iowa, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia were not available. | |
Our analysis also found that people of color have a harder time paying off their mortgage. Asian, black, and Hispanic communities are two to three times more likely to face foreclosure or be behind on their mortgage payments than white communities. White communities, however, faced a similar struggle over paying rent. Over 45% of white and black communities fear eviction within the next two months.
| Race / ethnicity | % threatened with seizure | % late on mortgage payments | % at risk of deportation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 9.3% | 8.2% | 11.9% |
| Black | 11.9% | 12.1% | 47.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.6% | 13.1% | 36.0% |
| White | 4.4% | 4.3% | 46.7% |
Embarrassing as the data presented in this study is, America’s struggle with affordable housing is a problem that may soon escalate. An increase in unemployment benefits, stimulus checks and a moratorium on evictions have kept many people at home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but those programs appear to be ending. President Joe Biden has proposed a $ 640 billion plan to address an affordable housing shortage, but the question is whether that will be enough?
Methodology
Information on foreclosures, rents and mortgage payments was compiled using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Household pulse surveys. Our analysts then disaggregated this data according to state and demographic criteria to determine the number of people facing foreclosure or eviction.
