How many hours must minimum-wage earners work to afford rent?

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

The more Democratic leaning states that are always championing a higher minimum wage also tend to be the least affordable places for minimum wage workers to live. On the flip side, the Republican leaning states who generally oppose increasing the minimum wage consequently are the most affordable places for that demographic to live.

How many hours must minimum-wage earners work to afford rent?

 

[Politico]

Umm that's why they are pushing for more money.

 

[initforme]

If one is making minimum wage one isn't able to pay rent. Case closed. I don't care how cheap the area you live in is. One doesn't pay rent and feed oneself.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Umm that's why they are pushing for more money.

I'm well aware. The irony is that it's their own economic policies in many cases that have caused it. Some of it is just demand, of course, depending on the area.

 

[SteadyMercury]

I think min wage workers can afford rent with a 40 hour work week.

You'll have some roommates and you'll have to budget but it can be done.

 

[Gracie]

I think min wage workers can afford rent with a 40 hour work week.

You'll have some roommates and you'll have to budget but it can be done.

No going out to dinner now and then...no theater once a month...no new clothing from stores because all they can afford is thrift shops...no pricey foods....so yeah. They can do it....but it won't be pleasant. Everything they work for goes to someone else.

 

[kiwiman127]

I think min wage workers can afford rent with a 40 hour work week.

You'll have some roommates and you'll have to budget but it can be done.

I doubt a minimum wage 40-hour-a-week worker could pay for more than a shared one room efficiency, if the worker lives in a metropolitan area with a weeks pay. I suppose they could go Section 8.

 

[Rozman]

If one can't afford rent working a minimum wage job....
Well...then maybe they should not work at a minimum wage job!

 

[BobPlumb]

Any adult that shows up to work on time and works his/ her ass off until it's time to leave, picking up new skills along the way will not be working for minimum wage for very long.

 

[initforme]

"Any adult that shows up to work on time and works his/ her ass off until it's time to leave, picking up new skills along the way will not be working for minimum wage for very long."

You forgot "and has post graduate degrees"

 

[BobPlumb]

"Any adult that shows up to work on time and works his/ her ass off until it's time to leave, picking up new skills along the way will not be working for minimum wage for very long."

You forgot "and has post graduate degrees"

Really!

 

[kiwiman127]

Any adult that shows up to work on time and works his/ her ass off until it's time to leave, picking up new skills along the way will not be working for minimum wage for very long.

That may be a trusim to a point. But the direction wages have gone in the US in the last 30 years or so, upward mobility, like wages have basically flat-lined. In Real Dollars, your typical American worker is making less than his counterpart from the late 70's.

 

[syrenn]

The more Democratic leaning states that are always championing a higher minimum wage also tend to be the least affordable places for minimum wage workers to live. On the flip side, the Republican leaning states who generally oppose increasing the minimum wage consequently are the most affordable places for that demographic to live.

How many hours must minimum-wage earners work to afford rent?

lol.... who doesn't WANT a 2 bedroom apartment...all by them selves.


I have no pity....


if they are working two full time jobs and are living with 2 room mates all paying 1/3 of the rent..... and still cant afford to pay rent..... then they can whine... a little.

 

[SteadyMercury]

I doubt a minimum wage 40-hour-a-week worker could pay for more than a shared one room efficiency, if the worker lives in a metropolitan area with a weeks pay. I suppose they could go Section 8.

This just isn't true.

Most people just don't consider how inexpensive housing can be if you have roommates. There are all kinds of ads on craigslist for people looking for roomies in the $300-$400 range, some in apartments and some in houses. Like this:

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/roo/4382634423.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/roo/4389089150.html

Sure it won't be the Taj Mahal, and as Gracie said alluded to you'll be buying clothes at thrift stores and not eating out a lot, but it is doable in most cities and plenty of people manage to pull it off.

 

[SteadyMercury]

]In Real Dollars, your typical American worker is making less than his counterpart from the late 70's.

If the typical American workers is the median you're incorrect.

 

[specklebang]

The more Democratic leaning states that are always championing a higher minimum wage also tend to be the least affordable places for minimum wage workers to live. On the flip side, the Republican leaning states who generally oppose increasing the minimum wage consequently are the most affordable places for that demographic to live.

My lowest rent unit is $550 (market rent value $750) plus gas, power and water that at the least must be $150 average. FICA and UI would be maybe .75¢. So, $700.00 = 107 hours of labor. You can rent places nearby with shared kitchens and baths for as low as $350.00 with utilities, so you could get that down to 54 hours of labor.

I have a close friend who lives in Boston MA and I believe the lowest possible rent there would be at least $900.00 UNLESS you live in a rooming house or similar.

FWIW, I started working in 1958. The MW was $1.00 p/h. My furnished room with nast shared bath was $8.00 a week in Greenwich Village NY. I lived on about $20 per week and saved the rest.

So, I think the question is dependent on what standard of living we're discussing. Most people make more than minimum wage and many people are partnered with others in one way or another.

 

[kiwiman127]

]In Real Dollars, your typical American worker is making less than his counterpart from the late 70's.

If the typical American workers is the median you're incorrect.

Real Median Income is not the same thing as Real Dollars. The word median is you are given in value order and find the middle number. Real Dollars are a constant dollar measurement of value, sans inflation.

 

[SteadyMercury]

Real Median Income is not the same thing as Real Dollars.

It is when you're making claims on income in real dollars for the typical worker.

The chart I attached showed median individual income (typical worker) income in constant 2001 dollars, and it is much higher now than in the 1970s.

 

[Stephanie]

When I first started out on minimum wage, I had roommates to make it until I got more experienced to work my up the ladder...you know that saying, where there is a will there is way...well that doesn't exist anymore

people are told they are helpless, there is no hope unless you demand others provide for you so go jump on welfare, demand 15 dollars an hour, wail how your life is so hard... and in this day and age many are believing it...I worked for a school the last four years, made 12 dollars an hour and they would only give me 5.75 hours so I had to go work a second job to live the life I wanted...man it sucked, seven days a week... but at least I had my pride in making it ON MY OWN

 

[initforme]

Minimum wage jobs = minimum work done by employees. One works as hard as they are paid for. Minimum wage = minimum work. Pretty simple math.