Figure 17: Housing and Transportation Costs as a Percent of the Area's Median Income

be considered when planning transportation projects to ensure that existing communities are not displaced due to proposed investments.

Precautionary methods should also be considered when planning in the northwest region of Temple (bounded by FM 1237, TX 317, TX 36, and I-35). This area is mostly farmland; however, it also contains the H-E-B Distribution Center and is just west of a high-density employment area. Similar concerns can be made about the region along US 190 / I-14, southeast of downtown Temple. This area has experienced a moderate amount of population and employment growth.

City of Temple Cost of Living

Using the Center for Neighborhood Technology’s (CNT) Housing and Transportation’s Affordability Index metric on housing and transportation cost, Figure 17 assesses the overall affordability of the study area. CNT has determined that places where housing and transportation costs are greater than 45% of the area’s median income should be considered unaffordable. Looking closer at Figure 17, most of downtown Temple falls within or close to this cutoff (light green). Surrounding areas are considered unaffordable based of their combined housing and transportation costs, which are shown by the darker colors. Specifically, areas south of Temple and near Morgan’s Point Resort. Housing costs in Temple are relatively low and range from 20 – 35% of the area’s median income. Transportation costs become gradually higher as people live farther away from downtown—this increase is expected due to longer commute times and distance.

Figure 17: Housing and Transportation Costs as a Percent of the Area's Median Income

Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology (2017)