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Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) has released the Indiana Uplands Housing Study 2024, with updated data and suggested strategies for strengthening housing in 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands region.

Five of these counties are in Region 10 of the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA), which Heading Home and its partners serve. Those are Monroe, Lawrence, Greene, Owen and Martin counties.

One important indicator of adequate affordable housing is the percent of households that are paying 30% or less of their income on housing. When households surpass this 30%, they are considered cost burdened.

For Monroe County, the number of cost-burdened renters has stayed about the same since 2019 while the number of cost-burdened homeowners has decreased. According to the report, Monroe County has more cost-burdened renters because of the high percentage of college students at Indiana University. The report found that 60.12% of renters are paying more than 30% of their income in gross rent.

In Lawrence County, there has been a steady increase in demand for housing over the past 10 years. Because of this, there are a limited number of homes on the market and sale prices have increased. Since 2012, the median sale price in Lawrence County has increased by 130%, one of the largest increases in the region.

In Lawrence County, 40.94% of renters are cost-burdened, paying more than 30% in gross rent.

In Greene County, the newest housing is located in more rural areas. According to the report, this can indicate that higher-income households are not living in denser parts of the county. One possible reason for this is that the more urban areas of the county are not providing as many sought-after housing opportunities.

According to the report, nearly 43% of Greene County’s renter households spend more than 30% of their income on gross rent, an increase since 2019. However, in the last 10 years the number of cost-burdened households overall has declined.

In Owen County, 45.76% of renters are paying more than 30% in gross rent. Also, the number of homes listed on the market within the last three years is the lowest it has been in the last decade. Because of this, homes are selling quickly and for a higher price.

Follow this link to read the full reports or click the links below for specific county updates in Region 10:

Note: Morgan County, which is part of Region 10, is not part of the Indiana Uplands region and therefore is not included in these reports.