Study Links Affordable Housing and Intellectual Ability in Children

Walters summarizes the findings of the study: "Looking at how much families spend on housing and then comparing that to a child's intellectual achievement, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that though how much a family spent 'had no affect on a child's physical or social health, when it came to cognitive ability, it was a game changer.'"

"In families that spent more than half their household income on housing, kids' reading and math abilities suffered, according to the study. At the same time, children in families that spent less than 20 percent of their income on housing also suffered cognitively."

For the record, the study measured intellectual ability with basic cognitive skill tests, not standardized academic or IQ tests.