What Housing Costs in America Will Make You Laugh, Cry, or Both

POPSUGAR Photography | Sheila Gim
POPSUGAR Photography | Sheila Gim

Fact: many people can't afford rent in America. We pretty much ALL knew that, but just how major is the disparity between average wage and housing in the United States? The National Low Income Housing Coalition recently published a few illustrations that outline just how much a person would need to make in order to afford modest housing in this country — and the information is telling, to say the least. Take a look at the charts, and embrace the wide range of complex emotions you'll experience.

The Minumum Hourly Wage Needed to Afford a 2-Bedroom Apartment
POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim

The Minumum Hourly Wage Needed to Afford a 2-Bedroom Apartment

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, this infographic represents the hourly wage that a household must earn when working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year in order to afford the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom rental unit . . . without paying more than 30 percent of their income. Notice the sky-high rates in places like Hawaii, DC, and California. On the other hand, a working person need only make a little over $13 per hour to afford rent in Arkansas and West Virginia.

Number of Hours a Minimum Wage Employee Would Have to Work to Afford a 1-Bedroom Apartment
POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim

Number of Hours a Minimum Wage Employee Would Have to Work to Afford a 1-Bedroom Apartment

Depressingly, the NLIHC says this about affording a one-bedroom apartment anywhere in the US when making minimum wage: "In no state can a minimum wage worker afford a one-bedroom rental unit at the average Fair Market Rent, working a standard 40-hour work week, without paying more than 30 percent of their income." This chart shows how many hours the employee would have to work. Employees, good luck keeping your sanity in New York, Maryland, or Virginia.

More Fun Facts
POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim

More Fun Facts

This year, an employee must make a little over $20 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. Furthermore, 10.4 million households cannot afford their rent, and the federal minimum wage ($7.25) doesn't cover the rent in most areas.