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There is no state in the union where a full-time, minimum-wage worker can afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment for less than 30 percent of his paycheck (which is a standard measure of housing affordability).
That's the depressing takeaway from a new report by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
In Texas, a minimum wage worker needs to put in 73 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom unit. In California, it's 92 hours. In the District of Columbia, it's a solid 100 hours.These are, of course, state averages.
Rent will be more expensive in some cities — but those cities will often have a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state. Sadly, as this chart from the report shows, the increase in rental prices tends to be much higher than the increase in the minimum wage:
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And people wonder why some young people continue to live with their parents instead of striking out on their own. How can they when the only jobs available to them do not even pay them enough to put a roof over their head?
My own daughter, who has always made more than minimum wage, has lived on and off with me for years due to the unpredictability of the jobs in her chosen field.
Today she is making more than I am, and living the good life, but that was only after putting many years into her career and suffering long stretches of unemployment.
If she could not have relied on her father to provide her with love and support, there is no telling where she could have ended up.
Let's face it, some people, both young and old, do not have that support system. So when they work hard and still cannot afford a place to live, what does that do their self esteem and ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Assuming of course that there is a light at the end of their tunnel.
My daughter lives at home as well. We certainly don't mind as it is free dog sitting when she is off work and on weekends plus it is nice to have her here. I dread the day she leaves to be honest with everyone, but I know it must come one day.
ReplyDeleteI am ashamed of my country.
ReplyDeleteThere are many senior citizens living on the edge too that welcome having their offspring living at home and helping in various ways.
ReplyDeleteRemember - years ago families lived together, so this really isn't anything new.
Living together by choice is one thing. Living together because of the destruction of the middle class and the proliferation of--and lack of resources for--those living under the poverty line--that is just shameful for the United States.
DeleteAnd yet we won't even raise the minimum wage.
Gen X'er here; it was no better for people of my generation--my first job out of college (with a comp sci major and a math minor) paid me just enough to afford to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in a sketchy neighborhood with 3 of my friends. Only one of us had a car; a 1968 Datsun (this was in the late 1980s). Instead of compassion, we got a lot of Boomers writing overwrought letters to the editor about how we were all "slackers" because we didn't buy homes the way they did right out of school. Instead of understanding, we were called "losers" to our face. So, the Millenials are not the first generation to have to struggle, but as children of the mighty Boomers, they are the ones who are being awarded trophies for it.
ReplyDeleteNo one' standing out any prizes, 9:32. We're all in this together.
DeleteWe are all in this together. The destruction of the middle class started the day St. Ronnie Ray-gun was elected. I'm glad people are finally acknowledging it instead of blaming the people caught up in it.
DeleteIf you're unattached without kids you can earn enough through a low wage job to buy a house. I did. You just have to be smart.
ReplyDeleteWhat's sad is there are lots of jobs that require education of some kind that pay min wage or slightly higher.
It's so depressing to think about. Our two girls are planning weddings after graduation, I have a feeling our son's going to stay home and save as much as he can to rent an apartment with friends. We're the sandwich generation, taking care of parents and kids, who, through no fault of their own, just have the cards stacked against them. I just hope they remember when my husband and I might outlive our savings. investments and property value.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind it at all, but look forward to being an empty nester.
Notice how dark blue California is.
ReplyDeleteYou have to wonder what minimum wage workers do to afford to live in those 90 and above states. Double and triple up roommates? Hold down two jobs? Sleep in their cars?
My nephew just quit his second degree, this time Coleman College in IT. (The first time he quit it was a double science major from Berkley.) He seems to think with the few certificates he's passed he can get a good paying job.
Even if he finds work he won't clear $40,000 a year after taxes. He really thinks he can afford an apartment, utilties, food, clothing, car, gas, etc. on that? Totally clueless. I guess he is getting a big reality check as he's moved back in with Mom while he house hunts and is still unemployed after almost 2 months. Of course at home everything is free and he can just watch TV all day in between job interviews.
I am so making a will and leaving everything to charity.