US Renters Face Rising Housing Wage Gaps Across States

The 2025 Out of Reach report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition reveals a widening gap between renters' wages and the cost of affordable housing across the United States. In New Jersey, full-time workers need to earn nearly $40 per hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, while the average renter earns only about $24 per hour. Ohio workers must make $22.51 per hour to afford similar housing, but the average wage is just $18.62, with urban areas like Columbus requiring even higher wages. Nationally, the Housing Wage averages $33.63 per hour for a two-bedroom apartment, with minimum wage workers needing to work over 100 hours weekly to afford rent. The report emphasizes that in many states, including parts of the Midwest, wages have not kept pace with rising rents, and only a fraction of those eligible for housing assistance receive aid. Personal stories highlight the real-world impact, underscoring that affordable housing remains out of reach for millions of Americans despite some wage increases.