Longwood Debates Building New Tiny Home Communities

What does “priced out” mean in English?

When prices go up faster than people’s income, those people get “priced out.” It does not mean they did anything wrong. It just means the thing they want — a home, a neighborhood, a ticket — has become too expensive for them. You hear this phrase a lot in news stories and everyday talk about renting, buying, and the cost of living.

In the clip, Longwood’s development director explains why the city is looking at tiny-home communities: “There’s a lot of people who are interested in home ownership that are kinda priced out of it.” He means many people want to buy a home but cannot — the prices are just too high for them. A few more examples: “Young families are being priced out of the city.” “That gym used to be affordable, but the new fees have priced me out.” Register note: “priced out” works in both news language and everyday speech. It is not slang, but it is not very formal either. You will see it in headlines, hear it in town meetings, and read it in social media posts about the cost of living.