"Some cities require minimum-wage workers to put in up to 94 hours a week to afford their share of rent, surpassing the recommended 30% of income for housing costs. High rent costs are not exclusive to expensive cities like Boston; affordability issues are also prevalent in seemingly more affordable places such as Milwaukee, where workers must work longer hours to bridge the gap."
"High rent costs are not exclusive to expensive cities like Boston; affordability issues are also prevalent in seemingly more affordable places such as Milwaukee, where workers must work longer hours to bridge the gap. The disparity in minimum wages across different cities significantly impacts the number of hours needed to cover rent expenses, with some cities requiring only around 39 hours a week for minimum-wage workers to afford housing."
Many minimum-wage workers must choose between paying rent and other essentials because wages lag behind housing costs. Despite modest rent declines over two years, the wage-rent gap remains, forcing longer work hours to afford housing. In some cities, minimum-wage earners need up to 94 hours per week to keep housing costs within the recommended 30% of income. Affordability pressures appear in both high-cost and seemingly affordable cities. Variations in local minimum wages create large differences in required hours, with some areas needing about 39 hours weekly to cover rent.
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]