Affordable vs. Attainable: What’s the Difference (and Does It Matter?)

Affordable vs. Attainable: What’s the Difference (and Does It Matter)?

If you’ve been looking into buying a home, you’ve probably come across the term affordable housing more times than you can count. But lately, there’s a new phrase making the rounds: attainable housing. So, what’s the difference—and more importantly, which one should you care about?

At Ellison Development, one of the things we thrive on—and hold close to our mission—is generating strong, meaningful connections with future homeowners. And a big part of that connection comes down to language. We use words like “affordable” because it’s what homebuyers understand, search for, and resonate with. We’re not just land developers—we’re passionate about building communities that real people can afford.

So What’s the Difference Between Affordable and Attainable Housing? Affordable housing is typically defined as housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross monthly income. It’s often linked to income-restricted housing programs and government support. Attainable housing, on the other hand, is a newer concept. It’s aimed at middle-income households—those who don’t qualify for subsidized housing but still can’t afford high home prices in many growing markets. Attainable homes are designed to be realistically priced in relation to the local economy, job market, and cost of living.

The interesting part?  While the term attainable housing may be gaining traction among planners and policymakers, the reality is that “affordable” remains the dominant language in public conversations. On Instagram alone, #affordablehomes has been used over 414,000 times, compared to just 863 posts for #attainablehomes. Similarly, the broader term #affordable has appeared in 8.7 million posts, while #attainable trails behind at just over 20,000. These numbers aren’t just hashtags—they reflect how real people search, post, and connect with housing content. That’s exactly why we continue to use the term "affordable" in our messaging: it’s what resonates most with the future homeowners we’re building for.

This chart demonstrates that the term “affordable housing” consistently garners much more interest than “attainable housing,” reinforcing our focus on staying aligned with what people actually search.

We want our communities to reflect real opportunity. We want people to be able to live where they work, thrive where they raise families, and grow in a neighborhood they’re proud to call home.

But words evolve. Conversations shift. And maybe one day, “attainable homeownership” will be the phrase everyone uses to describe their dreams.

Until then, we’re keeping it real, keeping it human—and building communities that are both affordable and attainable, no matter what you call them.

Do you think attainable homeownership will catch on with the next generation of buyers—or will affordable continue to lead the way?