# 24 CFR § 81.17: Affordability—Income level definitions—family size and income known (owner-occupied units, actual tenants, and prospective tenants)

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.17

## Section

- **Citation:** 24 CFR § 81.17
- **Heading:** Affordability—Income level definitions—family size and income known (owner-occupied units, actual tenants, and prospective tenants)
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 24—Housing and Urban Development > Subtitle A—Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development > PART 81—THE SECRETARY OF HUD'S REGULATION OF THE FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (FANNIE MAE) AND THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORPORATION (FREDDIE MAC) > Subpart B—Housing Goals

## Text

In determining whether a dwelling unit is affordable to very-low-, low-, or moderate-income families, where the unit is owner-occupied or, for rental housing, family size and income information for the dwelling unit is known to the GSE, the affordability of the unit shall be determined as follows:
(a) Moderate-income means:
(1) In the case of owner-occupied units, income not in excess of 100 percent of area median income; and
(2) In the case of rental units, where the income of actual or prospective tenants is available, income not in excess of the following percentages of area median income corresponding to the following family sizes:
Number of persons in family
Percentage of area median income
1
70
2
80
3
90
4
100
5 or more
(*)
*100% plus (8% multiplied by the number of persons in excess of 4).
(b) Low-income means:
(1) In the case of owner-occupied units, income not in excess of 80 percent of area median income; and
(2) In the case of rental units, where the income of actual or prospective tenants is available, income not in excess of the following percentages of area median income corresponding to the following family sizes:
Number of persons in family
Percentage of area median income
1
56
2
64
3
72
4
80
5 or more
(*)
*80% plus (6.4% multiplied by the number of persons in excess of 4).
(c) Very-low-income means:
(1) In the case of owner-occupied units, income not in excess of 60 percent of area median income; and
(2) In the case of rental units, where the income of actual or prospective tenants is available, income not in excess of the following percentages of area median income corresponding to the following family sizes:
Number of persons in family
Percentage of area median income
1
42
2
48
3
54
4
60
5 or more
(*)
*60% plus (4.8% multiplied by the number of persons in excess of 4).
(d) Especially-low-income means, in the case of rental units, where the income of actual or prospective tenants is available, income not in excess of the following percentages of area median income corresponding to the following family sizes:
Number of persons in family
Percentage of area median income
1
35
2
40
3
45
4
50
5 or more
(*)
* 50% plus (4.0% multiplied by the number of persons in excess of 4).
[60 FR 61888, Dec. 1, 1995, as amended at 65 FR 65089, Oct. 31, 2000]

## Nearby sections

- [24 CFR § 81.1 § 81.1 Scope of part.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.1.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.2 § 81.2 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.2.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.11 § 81.11 General.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.11.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.12 § 81.12 Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Goal.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.12.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.13 § 81.13 Central Cities, Rural Areas, and Other Underserved Areas Housing Goal.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.13.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.14 § 81.14 Special Affordable Housing Goal.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.14.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.15 § 81.15 General requirements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.15.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.16 § 81.16 Special counting requirements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.16.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.17 § 81.17 Affordability—Income level definitions—family size and income known (owner-occupied units, actual tenants, and prospective tenants).](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.17.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.18 § 81.18 Affordability—Income level definitions—family size not known (actual or prospective tenants).](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.18.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.19 § 81.19 Affordability—Rent level definitions—tenant income is not known.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.19.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.20 § 81.20 Actions to be taken to meet the goals.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.20.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.21 § 81.21 Notice and determination of failure to meet goals.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.21.md)
- [24 CFR § 81.22 § 81.22 Housing plans.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.22.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-24-81.17. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.