Out of Reach

 
Out of Reach:

Rental Housing At What Cost?

October, 1998
The Worst Metro Areas

 
Estimated Percent Renters Unable to Afford Two Bedroom FMR Estimated Percent of Federal Minimum Wage ($5.15/hour) Needed to Afford Two Bedroom FMR Estimated Hours/Week Needed to Work at Minimum Wage to Afford Two Bedroom FMR
Brownsville-Harligen, TX 55% Stamford-Norwalk, CT 400% Stamford-Norwalk, CT 160 hours
Newburgh, NY-PA 51% Nassau-Suffolk, NY 400% Nassau-Suffolk, NY 160
Miami, FL 51% Westchester County, NY 387% Westchester County, NY 155
Nassau-Suffolk, NY 49% San Francisco, CA 369% San Francisco, CA 147
Westchester County, NY 49% San Jose, CA 369% San Jose, CA 147
Pueblo, CO 49% Honolulu, HI 368% Honolulu, HI 147
Honolulu, HI 48% Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 368% Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 147
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria 48% Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ 347% Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ 139
Cumberland, MD-WV 48% Bergen-Passaic, NJ 340% Bergen-Passaic, NJ 136
Jamestown, NY 48% Danbury, CT 327% Danbury, CT 131
Santa Cruz-Watsonville 47% Boston, MA 326% Boston, MA 131

 
NOTES:
  • FMR = Fair Market Rent 
  • AMI = Area Median Income, determined by HUD 
  • HUD = Department of Housing and Urban Development 
  • EST RTR MEDIAN = 1998 Estimated Renter Median Income, based on 1990 renter median income as percent of household median income 
  • Income Needed to Afford = Affordability is based on the official 30%-of-income standard used in federal housing subsidy programs. 
  • % Unable to Afford = percent ofrenter population whomust pay more than 30% of income for rent. 
  • Wage calculations are based on a 40 hour week for 52 weeks per year. 
  • The federal minimum wage is $5.15/hour. 
  • Rows are shaded for navigational purposes only.
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