Cool Maps: Rent and Income in Alexandria

We're playing with maps here at ACTion HQ and digging this data-rich map from Chris Persaud - Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks. It's an interactive map of income and rent costs for every city in America. The data are culled from the American Community Survey with city "blocks" outlined out using the Census. 

Not surprisingly, Alexandria is proven to be an affluent area with high rents. I looked at one low-income neighborhood west of Seminary Hill (not shaded probably because there aren't any rental units) that has a median income of roughly $49,000 - about in the middle of Virginia's middle-class income range. However, rent in that neighborhood was 20 percent higher than the middle rent range in Virginia.

Still, that's about 25 percent of residents' monthly income. Most financial gurus recommend not spending more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent. 

What conclusions can you draw from this handy map? Play with it to dig deeper: Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks.

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