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Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

citylab.com

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Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#61

Post by zeendo »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #6
OceanKing wrote: post #2

It seems that minimum wage is not, in fact, supposed to support a person 100%, not especially a family.

I am not sure why people think minimum wage must be enough to afford a two-bedroom home. Ideally minimum wage should comfortably allow one person to support... Themselves, minimally. Which means a studio or one bedroom. People should not aim to remain at minimum wage long, but use it as an entry point for somewhere better.

People probably think this because they've given it more than the 30 seconds of thought that you have.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#62

Post by lucaspm98 »

The obvious response to this is that the minimum wage is simply not supposed to be a sole source of income for a person living on their own.

The bigger problem with this particular article is qualifying affordable as less than 30 percent of income. That is a great rule in most situations. However, if you are on a limited income the percentage housing will be expected to be higher. It is one of the least elastic expenses, while things like a car or entertainment can be cut back or substituted for alternatives like public transportation. I don't know what the percentage should be, but 30% is unrealistic.

If you think about it, the opposite will also be true in many situations. If my income doubled from 100k to 200k overnight, I would consider upgrading apartments but from 1k a month to 1.3k a month. My food and entertainment costs would scale much quicker as a percentage of income.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#63

Post by alistairSH »

sdinsn wrote: post #24

Why would a minimum wage worker be trying to buy a 2-bedroom home? Edit: Meant to say rent instead of buy

They aren't. The article is about renting a 2-bedroom home. And nowhere do they limit the definition of "home" to "free standing, detached dwelling" - I believe their figures include 2-bedroom apartments as well.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#64

Post by temp-dude-87844 »

chrisseaton wrote: post #4

> And only in 28 of the country’s counties can a 40-hour-a-week minimum wage worker afford a one-bedroom [home] So where do they live?

One or more of the following:

- Living in units where the rent is far below the median rent.

- Working multiple jobs.

- Living in a multiple-income family.

- Living with roommates and pooling rent money.

- Payday loans.

- Behind on rent.

- Living in a house and not directly responsible for mortgage payments.

- Living with others in an informal arrangement and not legally responsible for payments.

- Homeless

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#65

Post by sdinsn »

titusjohnson wrote: post #49
sdinsn wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So perhaps they should split a 2/3 bedroom with roommates? If someone makes the absolute legal minimum, why does every expect them to live alone?

Why do you think a company should be allowed to not pay a livable wage?

> a livable wage

If someone can live in a 2/3 BR with roommates, that sounds pretty livable to me.

I used to live in a house with 6 other people during college. I lived just fine.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#66

Post by merpnderp »

I get roughly $1,500 for a couple per month, at 30 hours a week, post tax, but before government assistance programs. There's no place in Oklahoma where you can't find a 2 bedroom for $700/month. I'd bet that most of the surrounding states are similarly priced. In my city you can find single bedrooms, with all utilities plus washer and dryer included, for $350/month.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#67

Post by leetcrew »

SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #38
ocdtrekkie wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it in no way makes sense for someone to hire a first time employee who still lives with their parents for a zero skill job at the rate of "enough to afford a two-bedroom house".

Isn't there a huge conceit that that's who earns minimum wage? Looking around my local wal-mart, it would appear many people first entered the job market at weird times in their lives.

Walmart actually pays considerably more than minimum wage, so I'm not sure what point you are making here.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#68

Post by sdinsn »

atonse wrote: post #41
sdinsn wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So perhaps they should split a 2/3 bedroom with roommates? If someone makes the absolute legal minimum, why does every expect them to live alone?

Or maybe we can actually pay people a wage allowing them to lead some semblance of a decent life? Why does it fall on them, instead of the actual businesses paying them?

> some semblance of a decent life

Having roommates is fine and not a big deal.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#69

Post by throwaway98434 »

chrisseaton wrote: post #36
throwaway98434 wrote: post #8

This article like so many others makes a critical mistake in using a median price for minimum earners. A minimum wage earner is not and should not be in the market for a median priced home. A median wage earner would pursue a median priced home. A bottom quartile earner would pursue homes priced in the bottom quartile. Not the median. The title of this article is false. Minimum wage earners can often afford two bedro…

Is that what the article is saying? Their reference to 'median' is saying that's what other people are reporting and they want to look at something else. They don't seem to qualify it - they simply say 'there is not one U.S. state, metropolitan area, or county in which a minimum wage worker who clocks 40 hours a week can afford a two-bedroom apartment'. They don't use the term 'median' anywhere apart from talking abo…

Yes, it's what they're saying. They quote $377/mo as the maximum affordable rent for a minimum wage earner.

There are many counties across America where a low-end two bedroom can be found for substantially less than that $377. These claims only make sense if they refer to median prices.

For example:

https://joplin.craigslist.org/apa/d/joplin-2br-1bath-apartme...

https://seks.craigslist.org/apa/d/pittsburg-1913-elm-complex...

The claim 'there is not one U.S. state, metropolitan area, or county in which a minimum wage worker who clocks 40 hours a week can afford a two-bedroom apartment' is simply incorrect.

Re: Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay For A Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere

#70

Post by [deleted] »

throwaway98434 wrote: post #8

This article like so many others makes a critical mistake in using a median price for minimum earners. A minimum wage earner is not and should not be in the market for a median priced home. A median wage earner would pursue a median priced home. A bottom quartile earner would pursue homes priced in the bottom quartile. Not the median. The title of this article is false. Minimum wage earners can often afford two bedro…

[deleted]
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