In Dane County a primary factor lending toward intractable poverty is the shortage of affordable housing units and the high cost of rental units. A significant portion of household income is allocated towards housing. The definition of housing affordability is based on the percent of household income spent on housing. Housing expenditures upwards of 30% of household income are regarded as a ‘cost burden’ and are considered not affordable. To learn about the challenge of affordable housing, see our article and graphs on affordable housing.