In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a housing advocacy group is highlighting just how unaffordable renting is for most Americans working full-time and earning the minimum wage.
Workers earning the minimum wage, even working 40 hours a week, won’t make enough money to affordably rent a modest two-bedroom apartment in any state, metropolitan area, or county, according to the 2020 Out of Reach report.
That’s also true of one-bedroom apartments in 95% of U.S. counties, says the report published by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Housing is considered a “cost burden,” according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, if it costs more than 30% of your income — possibly not leaving enough for other essentials. That’s also the measure of affordability used in the report.
Where does your state stand? Here is the coalition’s ranking of every state and the District of Columbia for apartment affordability, from the most affordable to the least.
51. Arkansas
State’s minimum wage: $10.00
Wage required to afford* a two-bedroom rental home: $14.19
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford* that home: 57 hours a week
* The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s standard for affordability is housing that costs up to 30% of monthly income.
50. Mississippi
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $14.89
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 82 hours a week
49. West Virginia
State’s minimum wage: $8.75
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $14.97
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 68 hours a week
48. Kentucky
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $14.99
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 83 hours a week
47. South Dakota
State’s minimum wage: $9.30
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $15.24
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 66 hours a week
46. Alabama
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $15.44
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 85 hours a week
45. Iowa
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $15.46
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 85 hours a week
44. Oklahoma
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $15.93
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 88 hours a week
43. Ohio
State’s minimum wage: $8.70
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $15.99
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 74 hours a week
42. Missouri
State’s minimum wage: $9.45
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.07
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 68 hours a week
41. North Dakota
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.18
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 89 hours a week
40. Nebraska
State’s minimum wage: $9.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.27
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 72 hours a week
39. Indiana
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.32
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 90 hours a week
38. New Mexico
State’s minimum wage: $9.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.37
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 73 hours a week
37. Kansas
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.43
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 91 hours a week
36. Idaho
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.59
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 92 hours a week
35. Montana
State’s minimum wage: $8.65
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $16.88
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 78 hours a week
34. Tennessee
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.09
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 94 hours a week
33. Wyoming
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.15
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 95 hours a week
32. Wisconsin
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.27
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 95 hours a week
31. South Carolina
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.30
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 95 hours a week
30. Michigan
State’s minimum wage: $9.65
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.42
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 72 hours a week
29. Louisiana
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.48
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 96 hours a week
28. North Carolina
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $17.67
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 97 hours a week
27. Georgia
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $19.11
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 105 hours a week
26. Pennsylvania
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $19.23
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 106 hours a week
25. Maine
State’s minimum wage: $12.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $19.79
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 66 hours a week
24. Utah
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $19.83
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 109 hours a week
23. Nevada
State’s minimum wage: $9.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $20.48
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 91 hours a week
22. Minnesota
State’s minimum wage: $10.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $20.53
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 82 hours a week
21. Texas
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $20.90
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 115 hours a week
20. Arizona
State’s minimum wage: $12.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $21.10
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 70 hours a week
19. Rhode Island
State’s minimum wage: $10.50
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $21.16
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 81 hours a week
18. Illinois
State’s minimum wage: $10.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $21.30
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 85 hours a week
17. Delaware
State’s minimum wage: $9.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $21.96
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 95 hours a week
16. Vermont
State’s minimum wage: $10.96
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $23.36
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 85 hours a week
15. New Hampshire
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $23.43
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 129 hours a week
14. Virginia
State’s minimum wage: $7.25
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $23.64
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 130 hours a week
13. Oregon
State’s minimum wage: $12.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $24.37
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 81 hours a week
12. Florida
State’s minimum wage: $8.56
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $24.43
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 114 hours a week
11. Alaska
State’s minimum wage: $10.19
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $25.07
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 98 hours a week
10. Connecticut
State’s minimum wage: $11.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $26.42
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 96 hours a week
9. Colorado
State’s minimum wage: $12.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $26.45
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 88 hours a week
8. Maryland
State’s minimum wage: $11.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $28.06
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 102 hours a week
7. New Jersey
State’s minimum wage: $11.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $29.69
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 108 hours a week
6. Washington
State’s minimum wage: $13.50
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $30.46
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 90 hours a week
5. New York
State’s minimum wage: $11.80
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $32.53
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 110 hours a week
4. District of Columbia
State’s minimum wage: $15.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $32.83
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 88 hours a week
3. Massachusetts
State’s minimum wage: $12.75
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $35.52
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 111 hours a week
2. California
State’s minimum wage: $13.00
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $36.96
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 114 hours a week
1. Hawaii
State’s minimum wage: $10.10
Wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home: $38.76
Hours of work at minimum wage to afford that home: 153 hours a week
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