Unsupportable Affordable Housing: Most Expensive Places To Live

A new report from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition shows just how out of reach affordable housing can be.

2 minute read

December 14, 2005, 5:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


The National Low-Income Housing Coalition came out with its aptly named index, Out of Reach 2005. It calculates, according to the NLIHC, "the hourly wage that someone must earn - working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year -- to be able to afford rent and utilities in the private local housing market in every state, metropolitan area and county in the country."

“The disparity between what people earn and what even modest rental housing costs grows larger each year,” said Sheila Crowley, President of NLIHC. “This is the housing market in which millions of low wage workers and elderly or disabled people must try to find safe and decent homes. Now tens of thousands of displaced people from the Gulf Coast have joined them in this competition for scarce housing that they can afford. And FEMA wonders why evacuees are still in hotels.”

With a housing-related fuel and utilities increase of more than 13% in the last year responsible for much of the increase in renter housing costs, the situation is grim. For the first time, NLIHC’s data shows that a full-time worker at minimum wage cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment anywhere in country, further illustrating the dire situation that denies many a right to adequate housing.

Out of Reach 2005 calculates the number of full-time wage earners a household needs in order to afford the Fair Market Rent in any area of the country. Nationally, a family with two full-time workers earning federal minimum wage would make just $21,424, significantly less than the $32,822 annually they would need to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment.

The ten most expensive states for renters (with their Housing Wages) are:

  • Hawaii $22.30
  • California $22.09
  • Massachusetts $21.88
  • New Jersey $20.87
  • New York $19.73
  • Maryland $19.62
  • Connecticut $19.30
  • Rhode Island $18.42
  • New Hampshire $17.58
  • Alaska $17.40

    San Francisco is the nation's most expensive city for renters, followed by Stamford-Norwalk, CT, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura (CA) and Orange County (CA).

    Thanks to Peter Slatin

  • Wednesday, December 14, 2005 in National Low Income Housing Coalition

    portrait of professional woman

    I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

    I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

    Mary G., Urban Planner

    Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

    Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

    Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

    Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

    July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

    Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

    Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

    A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

    July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

    White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

    San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

    Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

    July 1, 2025 - KQED

    "Altadena - Not For Sale" yard sign in front of burned down house after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025.

    Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations

    Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

    July 7 - Dwell

    Dense multistory residential buildings in hilly San Francisco, California.

    Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean

    Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

    July 7 - The San Francisco Standard

    Blue self-driving Ford Transit van shuttle in Jacksonville, Florida.

    Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US

    A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.

    July 7 - Smart Cities Dive

    Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

    This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

    Planning for Universal Design

    Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

    Associate/Senior Planner

    Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

    Senior Planner

    Heyer Gruel & Associates PA