The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University (JCHS) took “Household Pulse Survey” results from census data conducted on a weekly or biweekly basis since April 2020, which offers a detailed view of how households across the country have been impacted by the pandemic.

JCHS found disparities by race and ethnicity that became more pronounced among older renter households.

According to the research, among those 65-79, an average of 233,000 renter households reported being behind on payments at the time of each survey. Over all four quarters, renter households ages 80 and above were more likely to be current on their payments. Generally, renters were more likely to fall behind on housing payments compared to homeowners with mortgages.

The financial struggles rippled from housing to household expenses, including food insufficiency.

For more, see the article and research from JCHS here.