Monthly Housing Costs Reach $1,000

U.S. homeowners paid a median of $1,000 in monthly housing costs in 2009, compared with $808 for renters, according to data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). However, renters usually paid a higher percentage of their household income on these costs than did owners (31% compared with 20%).