Housing Costs Have Risen So Much That Minimum Wage Earners Can't Afford Rent

The problem, however, is that while housing prices, including rents, are up, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has remained stagnant for years. A minimum wage worker putting in 40 hours a week can no longer afford a two-bedroom rental anywhere in the country, according to a new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Furthermore, a full-time minimum wage earner can only afford a one-bedroom rental in 7% of all U.S. counties.