Rent’s up

Having trouble making rent no matter how many hours you work? You’re not alone. Out Of Reach 2012, a comparison of fair-market rent prices versus wages across the United States conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, indicates that even in Arkansas, where the rent-to-earnings ratio is the least disparate, a worker would need to make $11.41 an hour (40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year) in order to rent a two-bedroom apartment. In California, the third most expensive state, the average housing wage is $26.02.

The top-10 most expensive

1. Hawaii $31.68>

2. District of Columbia $28.96

3. California $26.02

4. New Jersey $25.04

5. Maryland $24.83

6. New York $24.68

7. Connecticut $23.58

8. Massachusetts $22.84

9. Virginia $20.26

10. New Hampshire $19.29

Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition