F

Vega Alta, PR

Source:

Affordability Score: 25/100

Population: 37,511 · 1 ZIP codes

The affordability dashboard for Vega Alta, PR aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 37,511 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of F (25/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $25,568, median home value of $141,200, median rent of $677 per month, and 26.7% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $668 per month (studio $556, 1BR $583, 3BR $882, 4BR $1,056).

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Pressure points are income, housing, commute. Unemployment currently reads 15.8% and poverty 41.3% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.

Score Breakdown

Income F
$25,568
Median household income
Education D
26.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher
Housing F
5.5x
Home value $141,200 vs income
Commute F
32 min
Average commute time
Rent D
$668/mo
2BR fair market rent (31% of income)
Safety N/A
N/A
Violent crime rate (county)
Childcare N/A
N/A
Center-based infant care cost

Income & Employment

Median Income
$25,568
▼ 59% vs national
Per Capita Income
$18,523
Unemployment Rate
15.8%
Poverty Rate
41.3%

Housing

Median Home Value
$141,200
▼ 49% vs national
Median Rent
$677/mo
Owner Occupied
69.6%
2BR Fair Market Rent
$668/mo
▼ 44% vs national

Fair Market Rents by Bedroom

Studio
$556
1BR
$583
2BR
$668
3BR
$882
4BR
$1,056

Safety

Violent Crime Rate
Data Source
FBI UCR (county-level)

Education & Family

Bachelor's Degree+
26.7%
▼ 3 ppt vs national
High School+
54.8%
Median Age
42.0
Avg. Commute
32 min
▲ 6 min vs national

Childcare Costs

Infant (Center)
Toddler (Center)
Preschool (Center)
School-Age (Center)

What This Means

Vega Alta, PR receives an overall affordability grade of F (25/100), aggregated from 1 ZIP codes with a total population of 37,511. Challenges include income and housing and commute. Data was unavailable for safety, childcare — these dimensions were excluded from the overall score.

Nearby City Dashboards

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What are common questions about this dashboard?

Is Vega Alta, PR affordable?
Vega Alta, PR receives an overall affordability grade of F (25/100) based on Census, HUD, FBI, and DOL data. Median household income is $25,568. Median home value is $141,200.
What is the cost of living in Vega Alta?
Key cost metrics: Median rent $677/mo. 2BR fair market rent $668/mo. Median home value $141,200.
How is the affordability score calculated?
The score evaluates 7 dimensions weighted by importance: Income (20%), Safety (20%), Housing (15%), Rent (15%), Education (10%), Commute (10%), and Childcare (10%). Each metric is compared against national percentile benchmarks from Census, HUD, FBI, and DOL data.

Data as of 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates. Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report. Source: DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. Verify with HUD →