According to the Center for Neighborhood Technology, for housing to be considered affordable, it should cost no more than 30% of your household income. However, the CNT also adds transportation into the equation, by saying another 15% can be spent on transportation, making the total amount for affordable housing 45% of your household income

This creates an interesting concept. Most people tend to buy out in the suburbs to be further away from the city, thus paying lower taxes and lower housing costs. But when you factor in the expense of your daily commute to your place of employment, that difference can easily surpass 15%; thus making your country or suburban home less affordable than you initially thought.

To see if your house is truly affordable according to the CNT standard, check out the H&T Affordability Index. This website gives you an overview of the housing costs and your percentage of income and compares it to housing and transportation and your percentage of income. You might be surprised at what you learn.