Florida Minimum Wage Workers Can’t Afford Housing In the State

July 1, 2024

Those making minimum wage must work nearly 100 hours a week to afford an apartment in the state.

A new report details that minimum wage employees in Florida must work 100 hours a week to afford housing in the state.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition determined that minimum wage workers, earning $12 per hour in the state, must work well above a standard 40 hours in order to live in a home. The issue comes as a cost-of-living crisis impacts many states nationwide. The document also listed Florida in the Top 10 for most unaffordable.

According to the report, the average two-bedroom apartment in the sunshine state goes for $1,833 a month. Just to make rent alone, a worker must make $36 dollars an hour to actually afford the housing. The rates for a one-bedroom are not cheaper, with its own average cost of $1,525. Moreover, with this rate, a renter would need to make $29.33 an hour.

Both housing options are significantly out of range for those making minimum wage, forcing those making that amount to work from around 100 hours a week to have a place to live. A 98-hour work week would suffice for the one-bedroom. However, those needing extra space would have to clock in for almost 120 hours a week. This number would also amount to over-17-hour shifts for each day out the week.

Given these impossible work hours, working class Florida residents are left with limited options to find shelter within their budget. To address this issue, state legislators passed the Live Local Act in 2023. It will allocate $771 million toward affordable housing programs and developments.

“With our growing population and strong housing markets, Florida continues to have an affordable housing gap. We can address that gap by redoubling our efforts to increase the supply of affordable homes and apartments and to assist individual homeowners and renters in maintaining stable housing,” explained Anne Ray, manager of the Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse at University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies. “The need is greatest for residents with low wages and seniors on fixed incomes, but even people in some professional jobs may have trouble affording what they normally would have in the past.”

While Florida aims to rectify its growing housing and cost-of-living problems, its minimum wage employees continue to suffer from the unaffordable conditions.

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