Fairfield County Income & Affordability Fact Sheets
Created By
Many people who work in Fairfield County can’t afford to live in the communities they serve, and the region's housing market is virtually inaccessible to those whose only income is from Social Security or a minimum wage job. Terms like "area median income," "affordable," and "low-income" are key metrics in housing and planning that can help illustrate why this is happening, but they are not always easily understood.
These new fact sheets - one for every town and city in Fairfield County - are intended to illustrate what these terms actually mean and how they relate to who can and cannot afford to live here. We encourage residents, advocates, and decision makers to use these fact sheets as a resource to engage in important conversations about what it means to be able to afford to live in Fairfield County.
Fairfield County's housing market is virtually inaccessible to those whose only income is from Social Security or a minimum wage job.
Area median income (AMI) measures the average household income in a given region. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) calculates AMI on an annual basis, and state and federal governments use it as a metric to determine what is "affordable" or "unaffordable" in a region.
Housing is considered “affordable” when a household's housing costs are less than 30% of annual income. For example, AMI in Danbury is $104,230 for a one-person household. One person earning 80% of Danbury's AMI can afford rent and utilities of $2,084/month (or 30% of their income).
These fact sheets identify jobs posted on Indeed in March 2025 in the community, and plot those jobs against area median income, showing which roles are "low-income," and where someone earning minimum wage or living solely on Social Security would fall on the income scale as well.
New Canaan
For example, in New Canaan, where area median income (AMI) is approximately $104,000/year, a physical therapy assistant’s salary meets the definition of low-income, while a first-year teacher’s salary is considered very low-income. In March 2025, when these roles in the community were posted to Indeed, no apartments were available for rent on Apartments.com that would be affordable in New Canaan for these "low-income" residents.
You know what needs to change. We can help you make it happen.
The Center for Housing Opportunity convenes a vast partner network of engaged residents and organizations to work towards a better housing future in Connecticut. Join our efforts to preserve, produce, and protect housing that is affordable for all.