Low Wages, High Rents Hamper Many In Connecticut, Report Finds

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- A report conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows that a person earning the minimum wage cannot afford a two-bedroom apartment, according to the Huffington Post.

Connecticut ranked seventh among states with high hourly wages necessary for comfortable living, according to the Huffington Post.
Photo Credit: *screengrab from Huffington Post*

Cassandra Huerta

06/03/2015 1:00 p.m.

The study calculated the hourly wage an individual would need to live in an average, two-bedroom apartment.

'Out of Reach,' the annual housing report, said individuals, on average nationally, need to make an hourly wage of $19.35 per hour to rent a $1,006 two-bedroom apartment, reported the Huffington Post.

According to the Huffington Post, the hourly wage necessary to afford a two-bedroom rental unit was the highest in these states, with Connecticut landing in the Top 10:

District of Columbia, $28.04;
California, $26.65
New York, $25.67
New Jersey, $25.17
Maryland, $24.64
Massachusetts, $24.64
Connecticut, $24.29
Alaska, $22.55
Washington, $21.69
Delaware, $21.09

Connecticut ranks fifth for having the largest gap between how much is needed to afford rent and how much renters actually make. A minimum wage worker earns $16.16 in Connecticut, while the necessary amount needed is $24.29, leaving a difference of $8.12 per hour, according to the Huffington Post.

To see the full study, click here.

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