Can You Afford Rent on Minimum Wage? Here's Every State.
In 51 out of 51 US states and DC, a full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a 1-bedroom apartment under the 30% rule. The worst state is New Hampshire where minimum wage earners spend 103.5% of income on rent. Only 0 states are affordable on minimum wage.
Data: 2025-2026 state minimum wages and HUD Fair Market Rent estimates. Updated February 2026.
The Verdict
States Where MW Cannot Cover Rent
51
out of 51 states + DC
Average % of Income on Rent
62.2%
across all 51 states (30% = affordable)
Worst State
New Hampshire
103.5% of income on rent at $7.25/hr
Best State
Nebraska
38.5% of income on rent at $13.50/hr
Minimum Wage vs Rent: All 51 States Ranked
Every US state and DC, ranked from worst to best rent affordability on minimum wage. States highlighted in green are affordable under the 30% rule. Red means a full-time minimum wage worker spends more than 30% of gross income on a 1-bedroom apartment.
| # | State | Min Wage | 1BR Rent | Monthly Gross | Rent % of Income | Affordable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire (NH) | $7.25 | $1,300 | $1,256 | 103.5% | |
| 2 | Georgia (GA) | $7.25 | $1,200 | $1,256 | 95.6% | |
| 3 | Utah (UT) | $7.25 | $1,200 | $1,256 | 95.6% | |
| 4 | Texas (TX) | $7.25 | $1,150 | $1,256 | 91.6% | |
| 5 | North Carolina (NC) | $7.25 | $1,100 | $1,256 | 87.6% | |
| 6 | Tennessee (TN) | $7.25 | $1,100 | $1,256 | 87.6% | |
| 7 | Pennsylvania (PA) | $7.25 | $1,050 | $1,256 | 83.6% | |
| 8 | South Carolina (SC) | $7.25 | $1,050 | $1,256 | 83.6% | |
| 9 | Idaho (ID) | $7.25 | $1,000 | $1,256 | 79.6% | |
| 10 | Wisconsin (WI) | $7.25 | $950 | $1,256 | 75.7% | |
| 11 | Louisiana (LA) | $7.25 | $950 | $1,256 | 75.7% | |
| 12 | Hawaii (HI) | $14.00 | $1,750 | $2,425 | 72.2% | |
| 13 | Indiana (IN) | $7.25 | $900 | $1,256 | 71.7% | |
| 14 | Alabama (AL) | $7.25 | $900 | $1,256 | 71.7% | |
| 15 | Kansas (KS) | $7.25 | $850 | $1,256 | 67.7% | |
| 16 | Kentucky (KY) | $7.25 | $850 | $1,256 | 67.7% | |
| 17 | Oklahoma (OK) | $7.25 | $850 | $1,256 | 67.7% | |
| 18 | Virginia (VA) | $12.41 | $1,400 | $2,149 | 65.1% | |
| 19 | Iowa (IA) | $7.25 | $800 | $1,256 | 63.7% | |
| 20 | Mississippi (MS) | $7.25 | $800 | $1,256 | 63.7% | |
| 21 | North Dakota (ND) | $7.25 | $800 | $1,256 | 63.7% | |
| 22 | Wyoming (WY) | $7.25 | $800 | $1,256 | 63.7% | |
| 23 | California (CA) | $16.50 | $1,800 | $2,858 | 63% | |
| 24 | Massachusetts (MA) | $15.00 | $1,600 | $2,598 | 61.6% | |
| 25 | Nevada (NV) | $12.00 | $1,250 | $2,078 | 60.1% | |
| 26 | Florida (FL) | $13.00 | $1,350 | $2,252 | 60% | |
| 27 | District of Columbia (DC) | $17.50 | $1,800 | $3,031 | 59.4% | |
| 28 | Michigan (MI) | $10.56 | $1,050 | $1,829 | 57.4% | |
| 29 | Minnesota (MN) | $11.13 | $1,100 | $1,928 | 57.1% | |
| 30 | Alaska (AK) | $11.73 | $1,150 | $2,032 | 56.6% | |
| 31 | Colorado (CO) | $14.81 | $1,400 | $2,565 | 54.6% | |
| 32 | New Jersey (NJ) | $15.49 | $1,450 | $2,683 | 54% | |
| 33 | Maryland (MD) | $15.00 | $1,400 | $2,598 | 53.9% | |
| 34 | New York (NY) | $16.50 | $1,500 | $2,858 | 52.5% | |
| 35 | Montana (MT) | $10.55 | $950 | $1,827 | 52% | |
| 36 | Ohio (OH) | $10.65 | $950 | $1,845 | 51.5% | |
| 37 | Delaware (DE) | $13.25 | $1,150 | $2,295 | 50.1% | |
| 38 | Rhode Island (RI) | $14.00 | $1,200 | $2,425 | 49.5% | |
| 39 | West Virginia (WV) | $8.75 | $750 | $1,516 | 49.5% | |
| 40 | Oregon (OR) | $14.70 | $1,250 | $2,546 | 49.1% | |
| 41 | Connecticut (CT) | $16.35 | $1,380 | $2,832 | 48.7% | |
| 42 | Vermont (VT) | $14.01 | $1,150 | $2,427 | 47.4% | |
| 43 | Arizona (AZ) | $14.70 | $1,200 | $2,546 | 47.1% | |
| 44 | Washington (WA) | $16.66 | $1,350 | $2,886 | 46.8% | |
| 45 | New Mexico (NM) | $12.00 | $950 | $2,078 | 45.7% | |
| 46 | Illinois (IL) | $14.00 | $1,100 | $2,425 | 45.4% | |
| 47 | Maine (ME) | $14.65 | $1,100 | $2,537 | 43.4% | |
| 48 | South Dakota (SD) | $11.20 | $800 | $1,940 | 41.2% | |
| 49 | Missouri (MO) | $13.75 | $950 | $2,382 | 39.9% | |
| 50 | Arkansas (AR) | $11.00 | $750 | $1,905 | 39.4% | |
| 51 | Nebraska (NE) | $13.50 | $900 | $2,338 | 38.5% |
Monthly gross = minimum wage x 40 hours x 4.33 weeks. Rent % = (1BR rent / monthly gross) x 100. Affordable = rent is 30% or less of gross income. Source: State DOL wage tables, HUD Fair Market Rent 2025-2026.
The 10 Worst States for Minimum Wage Renters
These states have the highest rent-to-wage ratio for minimum wage workers. In every one, a full-time minimum wage worker would need to spend well over 30% of gross income just to cover a 1-bedroom apartment.
#1 Worst
New Hampshire
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,300/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 137.9 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 345% of a standard 40-hour week.
103.5%
of income on rent
#2 Worst
Georgia
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,200/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 127.3 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 318% of a standard 40-hour week.
95.6%
of income on rent
#3 Worst
Utah
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,200/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 127.3 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 318% of a standard 40-hour week.
95.6%
of income on rent
#4 Worst
Texas
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,150/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 122 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 305% of a standard 40-hour week.
91.6%
of income on rent
#5 Worst
North Carolina
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,100/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 116.7 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 292% of a standard 40-hour week.
87.6%
of income on rent
#6 Worst
Tennessee
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,100/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 116.7 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 292% of a standard 40-hour week.
87.6%
of income on rent
#7 Worst
Pennsylvania
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,050/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 111.4 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 279% of a standard 40-hour week.
83.6%
of income on rent
#8 Worst
South Carolina
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,050/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 111.4 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 279% of a standard 40-hour week.
83.6%
of income on rent
#9 Worst
Idaho
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $1,000/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 106.1 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 265% of a standard 40-hour week.
79.6%
of income on rent
#10 Worst
Wisconsin
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal) | Average 1BR rent: $950/mo
A full-time worker here grosses $1,256/month and would need to work 100.8 hours/week just to keep rent under 30% of income. That is 252% of a standard 40-hour week.
75.7%
of income on rent
Where Minimum Wage Actually Works
Zero. Not a single state in the US allows a full-time minimum wage worker to afford a 1-bedroom apartment under the 30% rule. Every state requires more than 30% of gross minimum wage income to cover average rent. That is the reality of the 2026 housing market.
How We Calculated This
Monthly Gross Income
Monthly Gross = Hourly Wage x 40 hours/week x 4.33 weeks/monthAt the federal minimum of $7.25/hr, that is $7.25 x 40 x 4.33 = $1,255.70/month before taxes.
Rent-to-Wage Percentage
Rent % = (Average 1BR Rent / Monthly Gross Income) x 100If rent is 30% or less, the state is “affordable” under the standard 30% rule used by HUD and most landlords.
Hours Per Week to Afford Rent
Hours/Week = (Annual Rent / (0.30 x Hourly Wage x 2,080)) x 40This answers: “How many hours per week at minimum wage would you need to work to keep rent under 30% of income?” Anything over 40 means a single full-time job is not enough.
Data Sources
- Minimum wages: US Department of Labor state minimum wage tables (2025-2026 rates). States without their own minimum wage use the federal rate of $7.25/hr.
- Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rent estimates and Zillow Observed Rent Index, averaged to state-level 1-bedroom figures.
What You Can Do About It
If you are earning minimum wage or close to it, these calculators can help you figure out your actual numbers and find ways to reduce your rent burden.
Rent Affordability Calculator
Enter your income and see exactly how much rent you can afford.
Roommate Savings Calculator
See how much you save by splitting rent with a roommate in your city.
Fair Rent Split Calculator
Split rent fairly by room size, natural light, and other features.
50/30/20 Budget Calculator
Build a realistic budget around your rent payment and income.
Frequently Asked Questions
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