Across the nation there are millions of residents (1,613,742) living in public housing. The average household size for residents of public housing is 2.1 people. Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Nearly 55% of residents remain in public housing for 5 years or more.
Additionally, 32% of public housing households have children (ages 0-17) live in public housing representing 37% of residents. Thirty-six percent of public housing households have members who are seniors. About 40% of public housing households include a member who is disabled.
The average annual household income of a household for residents of public housing is $15,805. This falls well below the federal poverty line, which in 2021 for a household of two was $17,420, and for a household of three was $21,960 according to the 2021 United States Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines. A source of income for 30% of public housing resident households is through wages. Social Security payments are another source of income for approximately 56% of individuals in public housing. This information is from the Public Housing Resident Characteristics Reports and is current as of July 2021.