Search title image

Map of the Month

March 2012

The map shows the Center for Neighborhood Technology's Housing and Transportation (H+T) Affordability Index using 2009 American Community Survey Data. Compared side-by-side is the cost of housing as a percent of income (on the right) with the cost of housing and transportation as a percent of income (on the left) for an average household at the county level. The average housing cost of five Bay Area counties does not exceed 30% of average household income. When taking into consideration the added cost of transportation, however, only three Bay Area counties – Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara – do not exceed the 50% threshold for combined cost.

February 2012

This map illustrates the variation by metropolitan area of income levels required to be in the top 1% of earners. While a U.S. household must earn greater than $380,000 to rank in the top 1% of all American households, a much higher income is required in most of California’s coastal communities.

January 2012

In the map, we have color-coded the number of years since each of the 50 states last raised taxes on gasoline. On the positive, side, quite a few states managed to raise rates within the past year, although California adjustment was actually part of a revenue neutral gas tax/sales tax scrap. On a negative rate, about one-half the states have not raised their gasoline taxes in more than a decade. Also, by special request of Commissioner Haggerty, I’ve included a bonus map which represents the proposed BART system that was presented to Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco voters at the election approving construction of the system in November 1962.

Archive of Previous Map of the Month Titles:

Back to main GIS page