Over the last 20 years, it's a little bit smaller (2.53 vs 2.62). It's a lot smaller than it was in the 1960s for instance (3.33) [1]
The study focuses on the "50 largest cities" in the US which generally have regressive housing policies. Often, those cities are where the economy is doing well and high-paying jobs are available - but the city councils refuse to permit new construction. This limits supply in the face of increasing demand. Rent in particular too as folks living in big cities skew transient.
I tried to find a source for their "median income" figure, because it would make sense that if you compare the increase in rent in big cities to median income nationwide it would be more sensational, as these cities are where the income would have grown the most.
This is where I pull out my usual recommendation of Japanese-style nationwide zoning rules. [2]
1. There are definitely reasons for many of the types of zoning rules in the US beyond what the author recognizes in that article. Zoning isn't just about measuring nuisance level.
2. The US definitely does have mixed use zoning.
3. The foundation of property law in the US is fundamentally incompatible with a standardized system. The US government already did the extent of what they could practically do when they suggested a standardized system in 1920s.
Fascinating. I would love to know the income distribution of household size. Middle class people have the fewest kids now a days. Wealthy people and low-income people have more children.
The study focuses on the "50 largest cities" in the US which generally have regressive housing policies. Often, those cities are where the economy is doing well and high-paying jobs are available - but the city councils refuse to permit new construction. This limits supply in the face of increasing demand. Rent in particular too as folks living in big cities skew transient.
I tried to find a source for their "median income" figure, because it would make sense that if you compare the increase in rent in big cities to median income nationwide it would be more sensational, as these cities are where the income would have grown the most.
This is where I pull out my usual recommendation of Japanese-style nationwide zoning rules. [2]
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/183648/average-size-of-h...
[2] http://urbankchoze.blogspot.com/2014/04/japanese-zoning.html