How Much You Have To Earn To Afford A Two-Bedroom Home In Every U.S. State

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According to the report of the national low-income housing coalition, the nationwide housing wage in 2022 is $25.82 per hour for a modest two-bedroom rental home and $21.25 per hour for a modest one-bedroom rental home.

In 2022, one-bedroom apartments, too, were determined to be unaffordable for low-wage employees in all but 9% of U.S. counties.
$30.85 is the hourly wage a person needs to earn in my district in Los Angeles to afford even a one-bedroom apartment. That is over 4 times higher than the federal minimum wage.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition specified “affordability” as costing only 30% of a tenant’s earnings. In dollar amounts, the average U.S. worker would require to earn $25.82 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment or $21.25 for a single-bedroom apartment.

2022

Some U.S. states have particularly higher “housing wages.” In Hawaii, for instance, the “housing wage” is $40.63 per hour for a two-bedroom, while the housing wage in California ($39.01 per hour).

The average housing wage in the most “affordable” states, meanwhile, was determined to be in Arkansas ($14.89 per hour), where the basic minimum wage is $11, followed by West Virginia ($15.38).

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2022):
1. Hawaii – $40.63
2. California – $39.01
3. Massachusetts – $37.97
4. New York – $37.72
5. Washington D.C. – $34.33

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2022):

51. Arkansas – $14.89
50. West Virginia – $15.38
49. Mississippi – $15.67
48. Kentucky – $16.18
47. Alabama – $16.32

Below is information on how much you must earn to afford a two-bedroom home in every U.S. State in previous years.

2021

In 2021, California surpassed Hawaii for the first time in many years and became the top of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages.

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2021):
1. California – $39.03
2. Hawaii – $37.69
3. Massachusetts – $37.97
4. Washington, DC – $37.72
5. New York – $34.33

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2021):
51. Arkansas – $14.60
50. West Virginia – $14.83
49. Mississippi – $15.21
48. South Dakota – $15.46
47. Kentucky – $15.78

2020

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2020):
1. Hawaii – $40.63
2. California – $39.01
3. Massachusetts – $37.97
4. Washington, DC – $37.72
5. New York – $34.33

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2020):
51. Arkansas – $14.89
50. West Virginia – $15.38
49. Mississippi – $15.67
48. Kentucky – $16.18
47. Alabama – $16.32

2019

According to a new 2019 “Out Of Reach” report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there isn’t a state in the United States where earning the federal minimum wage ($7.25 an hour) could pay for a two-bedroom home.

Hawaii is the most expensive state in the U.S. to rent a two-bedroom rental home, with renters required to earn $36.82 an hour to afford it, and Arkansas is the least expensive, with renters needing to make just $14.26 an hour.

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2019):
1. Hawaii – $36.82
2. California – $34.69
3. Massachusetts – $33.81
4. Washington, DC – $32.02
5. New York – $30.76

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2019):
51. Arkansas – $14.26
50. West Virginia – $14.27
49. Mississippi – $14.43
48. Kentucky – $14.84
47. Alabama – $14.92

2018

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2018):
1. Hawaii – $36.13
2. California – $32.68
3. Washington, DC – $34.48
4. New York – $30.03
5. Massachusetts – $28.64

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2018):
51. Arkansas – $13.84
50. West Virginia – $14.10
49. South Dakota – $14.33
48. Kentucky – $14.40
47. Mississippi – $14.51

2017

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2017):
1. Hawaii – $35.20
1. Washington, DC – $33.58
3. California – $30.92
4. New York – $28.08
5. Massachusetts – $27.39

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2017):
51. Arkansas – $13.72
50. Kentucky – $13.95
49. South Dakota – $14.12
48. West Virginia – $14.49
47. Idaho – $14.65
46. Alabama – $14.78

2016

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2016):
1. Hawaii – $34.22
1. Washington, DC – 31.21$
3. California – $28.59
4. New York – $26.69
5. Massachusetts – $25.91

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2016):
51. Arkansas – $13.26
49. West Virginia – $13.17
48. South Dakota – $13.77
47. Mississippi – $14.07
46. Kentucky – $14.10

2015

Top five of the most expensive U.S. states requiring the highest wages (2015):
1. Hawaii – $31.61
1. Washington, DC – 28.04$
3. California – $26.65
4. New York – $25.67
5. New Jersey – $25.17

The bottom five U.S. states with the lowest wages required for housing (2015):
51. Arkansas – $12.95
50. Kentucky – $13.14
49. West Virginia – $13.21
48. South Dakota – $13.41
47. Iowa – $13.46