What does AMFI mean in UNCLASSIFIED

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) calculates AMFI annually by determining the median annual household income for all families, including married couples and single-person households, in a given area.

AMFI is most often calculated regionally, covering metropolitan areas and counties - although it may be calculated for smaller geographical areas as well, such as census tracts or block groups.

Generally speaking, larger cities and urban areas tend to have higher Area Median Family Incomes than rural areas and small towns due to differences in job opportunities and cost-of-living expenses. Additionally, AMFI can vary significantly between different counties within the same metropolitan area due to variations in local economies and housing costs.

Area Median Family Income is used by many organizations to provide an understanding of socio-economic trends on a regional level over time, helping them make more informed decisions regarding public policy or services needed in that community (such as affordable housing). It can also help identify those parts of a region where poverty or affluence levels are particularly high or low.

The concept behind AMFI originated in the United States and applies mostly only to that country; however other countries have implemented similar measures tailored specifically for their own economic environments. For example, Canada uses Low Income Cut Offs while Japan utilizes Welfare Standard Indexes.