Residents Report Difficulty Paying Monthly Housing Payments, Utilities

PHILADELPHIA-Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) releases its 2008 Household Health Survey housing information today for Delaware County. Conducted by PHMC's Community Health Data Base (CHDB), the survey, which examines the health and health care experiences of area residents, is one of the largest regional health surveys in the country.

Delaware County residents struggling
• Nearly half (45%) of Delaware County residents report difficulty making their monthly housing payments, including utilities. Similarly, 48% of residents in the Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) five county region report difficulty. To see a breakdown by county, please click here
• Of residents who report difficulty, 59% rent and 41% own their home
• 55% of households that report difficulty have children in residence

Health and housing in Delaware County
• 26% of adults who report difficulty making their housing payments also report being in fair or poor health versus 13% of adults who report little difficulty
• 29% of adults who report difficulty making their housing payments also have a chronic medical condition versus 24% of adults who report little difficulty

Other Delaware County Data Highlights
• 73% of poor adults, those living below the Federal Poverty Line report difficulty in paying their housing costs compared to 42% non-poor adults
• Latino adults (68%) and Asian adults (63%) report more difficulty making housing payments than their White (41%) and Black/African American (53%) counterparts

Data from the SEPA Household Health Survey is collected by a randomized telephone survey of 10,000 households in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. Special reports covering trends in area health and health care such chronic disease, obesity and guns and personal safety, are featured monthly on the CHDB website, www.phmc.org/chdb.

For media inquiries or specific data runs, please call contact Jamie Arehart at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 267-350-7699. For more information on CHDB, please contact Francine Axler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 215-985-2521.