High Rent Prices Are Literally Killing People, New Study Says

In a new longitudinal study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, researchers pinpointed a link between being “rent burdened” — that is, paying 30% or more of your overall income towards rent — and high mortality risks.

High rent burdens, rising rent burdens during the midlife period, and eviction were all found to be linked with a higher risk of death, per the study’s findings. A 70% burden “was associated with 12% ... higher mortality” and a 20-point increase in rent burden “was associated with 16% ... higher mortality.”

Evictions were even worse. An eviction filing, even without judgment, was linked with a “19% ... increase in mortality.” An eviction with judgment? A massive 40% increase.

The study’s authors hypothesized that these renters were forced to prioritize rent over health care, leaving them at risk for any number of ailments. They also probably spent less on essentials, like healthy food, because of high rents.

Eviction can lead to a person’s disenrollment from Medicaid or even job loss. The toll of insecure housing does a number on mental health, as well.

The authors urged medical professionals to think of housing as health care. “Investments in stable, affordable housing may be an important tool for improving population health, especially in the context of rising costs and evictions for American renters,” they wrote.

The study linked census data from 2000 to 2019 with eviction data from 2000 to 2016 to arrive at the results.

Unfortunately for most of us — a.k.a. non-landlords — rent burden has become the norm in the U.S. Moody’s Analytics split up 40 major metro areas in the country into 442 submarkets. Even those fortunate enough to just be making the median U.S. household income of $68,640 would be rent burdened in 227 of those submarkets.

Some of the most rent burdened metro areas in the U.S. are New York City, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Boston, Tampa-St. Petersburg, San Francisco, and Orlando. But even towns outside major cities are facing surging rents. Oxford, MS — home of Ole Miss — saw a 37% rent increase from 2022. Liverpool, NY, saw a 22% rise.

It seems like no place is safe from unregulated landlords who squeeze renters for every penny they have. In fact, all rent control measures are barred in 37 states, allowing owners to price rentals however they want.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. The study’s authors suggested public policy changes like rental vouchers and small-dollar mortgages. In addition, eviction prevention, including diversion programs and legal aid, could be used to better serve public health.

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The alarming findings in the report aren’t just a housing issue — they’re a racial justice one, as well. Public policies that increase affordable and accessible housing could decrease well-researched racial health disparities. According to the study, “Black renters live in worse renting conditions on average” and are at a higher risk of eviction than white renters.