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Arian Tyler
Director of Communications | NeighborWorks America
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NeighborWorks® America’s ‘Bridging the Missing Middle’ Survey Reveals Broad Support for Diverse, Affordable Housing Options
19 out of 20 Americans across generations agree on the need for attainable, inclusive housing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 28, 2025 — A new national survey from NeighborWorks® America, Bridging the Missing Middle: What Americans Say About Housing and Affordability, reveals that people across the United States share common priorities when it comes to housing: affordability, safety, and access to essential services. The findings also show growing public openness to housing types that are often overlooked, such as duplexes, townhomes, tiny homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which can help fill the gap between single-family homes and large apartment buildings.
The survey shows that 95% of Americans say affordability is an important aspect of housing to them, personally. This includes 96% of those living in suburban communities, 94% of those living in urban communities and 95% of those living in rural communities. Ninety-five percent also say affordability is an important aspect of housing, while 92% say proximity to essential services is a key factor.
At the same time, the survey found that 61% of American adults think that increasing missing middle housing would have a positive impact on housing affordability. Nearly three out of five respondents said they believed doing so would have a positive impact on the economy.
The survey underscores shared concerns about rising housing costs and their willingness to consider new development and zoning reforms that promote more affordable, connected communities.
“Americans want options that fit their lives and their budgets,” said Marietta Rodriguez, president & CEO of NeighborWorks America. “From young adults seeking their first home to older adults looking to downsize, the message is clear — people want attainable homes in neighborhoods that offer opportunity, safety, and a sense of belonging.”
Other findings include:
- Americans are more than twice as likely to support missing middle housing developments in their area (45%) than to oppose them (17%).
- Nearly two thirds of Americans say they would support changes to zoning if it meant housing would become more affordable. This includes 67% of those living in suburban communities, 69% of those living in urban communities and 63% of those living in rural communities.
- Half of Americans are open to multi-generational housing solutions and one-third would consider living in an accessory dwelling unit.
- In looking for a new home, 64% of Americans would consider a neighborhood that includes a mix of housing types of smaller scale. This includes 65% of those with incomes under $50K, 62% of those with incomes between $50K and $100K, and 65% of those with incomes over $100K.
The survey builds on recent research from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies’ Gramlich Fellowship in Community and Economic Development. The 2024 paper, Nonprofit Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Programs as Affordable Housing Strategies by Haewon Ma, explores how nonprofit housing organizations, including members of the NeighborWorks network, are using ADUs to expand affordable housing opportunities.
Across the NeighborWorks network, local organizations are able to operate as a learning lab on housing innovations. Many are already bringing missing middle housing to life. Self-Help Enterprises in Visalia, California, Community Development Long Island and DCLT in Raleigh, North Carolina, for instance, have explored building accessory dwelling units as a way to provide affordable housing for new families and a way to help homeowners generate rental income to help with mortgage payments. Other organizations are working on townhome developments and more.
As policymakers, developers, and leaders look for practical ways to expand housing supply, the message from Americans is clear: they are ready for solutions that promote affordability, diversity, and opportunity. NeighborWorks America and its national network will continue to support innovative housing models and be a solution that make communities more inclusive and resilient.
View the full Bridging the Missing Middle: What Americans Say About Housing and Affordability survey results.
Methodology: This poll was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of NeighborWorks America between August 26–31, 2025, among a nationally representative sample of 4,201 adults aged 18+ in the US. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age, and race by educational attainment. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
About NeighborWorks America
For more than 45 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., a Congressionally chartered national nonprofit known as NeighborWorks® America, has strived to make every community safer and more prosperous. Our network of excellence includes nearly 250 nonprofits in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and on Native lands. NeighborWorks offers grant funding, peer exchange, technical assistance, evaluation tools and access to best-in-class training as the nation's leading trainer of housing and community development professionals. NeighborWorks network organizations build homes and apartments, expanding the supply of affordable housing in every community; provide financial counseling and coaching that increases self-sufficiency; encourage resident leadership, and collaborate with local stakeholders in the areas of health, economic development, employment and education. In Fiscal Year 2024, for every dollar received from Congress, NeighborWorks network and NeighborWorks America attracted an additional $71 of investment from other sources.
