What is area median income (AMI)?

Area median income is the income level at which half of households in a given metro area earn more and half earn less. In the San Antonio region, HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) publishes an official AMI figure each year, which then serves as the reference point for affordable housing programs.

Apartment complexes and housing authorities use AMI percentages to set both who qualifies to live there and what rent they pay. A unit might be restricted to households earning 60% of AMI, 80% of AMI, or 100% of AMI, depending on the program. At 60% AMI, only lower-income renters qualify and pay correspondingly lower rents. At 80% or 100% AMI, the income threshold is higher and rents climb with it.

For property owners and managers, understanding AMI is critical because it determines which tenants are eligible, what federal subsidies or tax credits a property receives, and what rents can legally be charged. Nonprofit and public housing operators in the Greater San Antonio area rely on AMI tables to administer programs like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). Prospective residents use AMI to know whether they qualify for affordable housing providers in the area.