Discover How Much You Need to Earn for Rent in Each State with This Informative Map

This map illustrates the hourly wage required to afford rent in each state, based on the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) data for a two-bedroom rental unit. It’s a stark reminder of the challenges many face in balancing housing costs with income.

You’ve probably heard the rule of thumb that rent shouldn’t exceed one-third of your income. Some landlords even verify your pay stubs to ensure you’re not stretching yourself too thin before leasing to you—a sensible precaution in theory.

However, this guideline becomes increasingly difficult to follow as rent prices escalate faster than wages can keep pace. Case in point: According to the NLIHC’s 2023 data, the national Housing Wage stands at $28.58 per hour for a modest two-bedroom rental home, and $23.67 for a one-bedroom unit.

Yet, due to regional variations in rental rates, the reality is far from uniform. For instance, in California, you’d need to earn nearly $42.25 per hour to afford a two-bedroom rental, while in Arkansas, the figure drops to $16.27—an extreme contrast.

The challenge is compounded by federal minimum wage regulations, which set the bar at $7.25 per hour nationwide. Additionally, the demand for affordable rentals far exceeds the available supply. According to HHIC, there were only 34 affordable rental units available for every 100 extremely low-income renters.

Here’s a breakdown of the hourly wage needed to afford rent, based on the fair market rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom unit, without exceeding 30% of household income:

[The list of states and their corresponding hourly wages follows, ranging from California at $42.25 to Arkansas at $16.27.]

These figures presume a standard workweek of 40 hours over 52 weeks per year.

You can also refer to a supplementary map, depicting the number of hours minimum wage workers must work weekly to afford rent for a one-bedroom apartment. Some eye-opening statistics include Hawaii requiring 107 hours per week, New York at 98, Florida at 92, and Massachusetts at 91—putting into perspective the daunting challenge many face in meeting housing expenses.

Summary List:

1. California: $42.25
2. Hawaii: $41.83
3. Massachusetts: $41.64
4. New York: $40.08
5. Washington: $36.33
6. Wyoming: $36.33
7. District of Columbia: $35.35
8. New Jersey: $33.5
9. Colorado: $32.13
10. Connecticut: $31.93
11. Maryland: $31.08
12. Florida: $30.59
13. Arizona: $29.93
14. New Hampshire: $29.86
15. Oregon: $29.72
16. Nevada: $27.99
17. Rhode Island: $27.78
18. Virginia: $26.84
19. Alaska: $26.32
20. Delaware: $26.09

And so forth, continuing until:

50. West Virginia: $16.64
51. Arkansas: $16.27

These hourly wages are based on the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s data for a two-bedroom rental unit, ensuring that rent does not exceed 30% of household income.