What is ‘The Gap’ in Affordable Homes in your County, State Legislative District, and Congressional District? 

Every Indiana county, state legislative district, and Congressional district has a gap in affordable homes and a rate of severe housing cost burden that is concentrated at the lower end of the income spectrum, according to new data released by Prosperity Indiana and the National Low Income Housing Coalition.  

See the updated 2026 ‘The Gap’ local and district data maps at Prosperity Indiana’s Housing4Hoosiers page: https://housing4hoosiers.org/the-gap-2026-maps/

The new data, released as a supplement to the Indiana 2026 edition of The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes adds additional perspectives on the lack of supply of affordable rental homes and the rate of housing cost burden by county and legislative districts at the state House, Senate, and Congressional levels.  

This new data provides insights into the state-level report's finding that Indiana's rate of affordable and available rental homes for the most vulnerable renter households is now tied for lowest in the Midwest and is below the national average, with only 34 affordable and available homes for every 100 extremely low income (ELI) Hoosier renter households. The state-level report also found that the rate of severe housing cost burden for ELI households is now second-highest in the Midwest at 74%. 

The new county and district-level data demonstrate that Indiana’s housing shortage and affordability crisis is statewide and affects rural, suburban, and urban communities alike. In every Indiana county and state and Congressional district, the gap in affordable and available rental homes is primarily experienced by ELI households (those making below 30% of area median income) and very low-income households (those making below 50% of area median income). Those extremely- and very-low-income households are also the most likely to be severely housing cost burdened, meaning they must spend more than half of their monthly income on housing costs. 

With Indiana tied for the top ‘hot spot’ for lack of affordable homes in the Midwest, many Indiana counties and legislative districts below the state average of 34 affordable and available homes per 100 ELI households are now ‘hot spots within a hot spot’ for unaffordability. For example: 

• In the Indiana Senate, there are no more than 55 affordable and available homes for every 100 ELI renter households in any district, and as few as 12 (District 29).  

• In the Indiana House there are no more than 59 affordable and available homes for every 100 ELI renter households in any district, and as few as 1 (District 39). 

• Among Indiana’s Congressional Districts, there are no more than 40 affordable and available homes for every 100 ELI renter households in any district, and as few as 25 (District 7). 

• Among all 92 Indiana Counties, there are no more than 83 affordable and available homes for every 100 ELI renter households in any county, and as few as 14 (Tippecanoe County). 

The maps can also be used to find the deficit of affordable and available homes, and the rate of severe housing cost burden for ELI households at the county, Congressional, and state legislative district. 

Throughout 2026, Prosperity Indiana will use the data in these maps as part of participation in the national Our Homes, Our Votes nonpartisan voter education and candidate engagement initiative. Partners are encouraged to use these maps and data when asking state and federal candidates and elected officials about their plans to address Indiana’s housing supply and affordability crisis. Prosperity Indiana staff are also available to answer questions about ‘The Gap’ and can provide members with additional analysis about the data affecting their service areas. 

Data for these maps was provided by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, with maps and analysis provided by Prosperity Indiana. The source for the data is HUD’s Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data for 2018-22, the most recent available for the geographic levels presented here.