Report: Housing Affordability a Problem in Almost All U.S. Counties

The ‘housing wage’ needed to afford housing in most communities is well above minimum wage.

1 minute read

June 21, 2023, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Close-up of calendar on day 1 of month with "Pay Rent" written in red marker

Andrey_Popov / "Rent due"

“Nearly half of all workers in the U.S. are not making enough to comfortably afford a one-bedroom apartment, according to a new report.” Writing in Route Fifty, Molly Bolan outlines the report’s findings, which indicate that housing affordability is an urgent problem in almost every U.S. community.

On average, a person working full time needs to make $23.67 an hour to afford a one-bedroom apartment or $28.58 an hour for a two-bedroom apartment, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual Out of Reach report.

A full-time minimum wage worker can only afford a market-rate one-bedroom apartment in seven U.S. counties—all located in states with higher-than-federal minimum wage. Bolan adds that “The gap between income and housing costs is especially large for renters of color. The study found that nationally the median wage for a full-time white worker is enough to cover the costs of a one-bedroom apartment, but the same can’t be said for Black and Latino workers.”

Bolan notes that the report comes on the heels of a congressional budget deal that is widely expected to lead to reductions in funding for housing programs.

Thursday, June 15, 2023 in Route Fifty

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

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

4 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

6 hours ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine