The area median income (AMI) for a family of three in the area is $109,200.
Home Ownership
There are no units in the County available for purchase for households making 30% of AMI or $32,760 and below.
The greatest lack of affordably priced housing occurs at about 120% of AMI or average medium income of $131,030. The number of households with income at this level is 2.5 times the number of housing units available.
Rental Housing
The greatest rental needs are for those making $32,760 or less where the households exceed rental units by 6 to 1.
Many low income renters are paying more than 30% of their income to rent which causes them to be “cost burdened.” HUD defines cost-burdened families as those who because of housing costs “may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.”
New Development
Most of the new growth in the County is in the northwest and the I-95 corridor. The largest share of the County’s growth was in the I-95 corridor between 2010 and 2019.
The County does not have sufficient lands under current zoning to accommodate its projected population growth by 2040.
Prince William County has recommended seven policies in their draft chapter on the Pathway to 2040 update to the County Comprehensive Plan.
- Preserve and improve existing neighborhoods with a focus on maintaining the character of the neighborhood.
- Promote a diverse housing mix throughout the county by encouraging a range of housing sizes and types that meet the needs of residents at all income levels throughout all stages of life.
- Encourage the provision of affordable housing for all segments of the County’s population with emphasis on households with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income.
- Strategically locate diverse housing types near transportation and employment centers to build equitable comprehensive multimodal communities reducing transportation expenses for cost burdened residents.
- Build environmentally sustainable housing communities with a variety of housing types, densities, locations and affordability to promote a safe and livable environment for all residents.
- Design a community’s built environment in a manner that positively influences the physical and mental health of its residents based on the guiding principles of equity, quality, stability, accessibility, affordability and location.
- Support innovation and streamline processes to meet housing goals.
You can watch a video from the Prince William County Planning Commission on the draft chapter on housing in the Comprehensive Plan
The County is seeking input from you. Contact your County Supervisor with your concerns about addressing the critical housing issues facing the Prince William County of the future! https://www.pwcva.gov/department/board-county-supervisors