Tags: In Massachusetts, the gap between the amount of money workers would need to earn in order to comfortably afford rent and the amount they actually earn is one of the largest in the country, according to a recent National Low Income Housing Coalition report.
To afford a two-bedroom unit at a modest rate in Massachusetts ($1,347 per month), someone would need to earn $25.91 per hour, which is more than double the current $10 minimum wage. It is also more than the $18.47 average wage renters actually make in the state. The $25.91 figure represents the No. 7 highest “housing wage” in the country.
Those that make $10 per hour would need to work 104 hours per week to be able to afford a standard two-bedroom apartment, and 83 hours to afford a standard one-bedroom apartment, which the coalition pegs at $1,078 per month.
Read Full Article: The nearly impossible hours needed to make rent on minimum wage