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Affordable housing is out of reach for many Americans, and Massachusetts workers are even harder-hit. The state ranked the third-worst in the country for worker housing accessibility, according to an annual report released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition on Wednesday, June 14.
The average Massachusetts minimum wage worker can afford rent of up to $780 per month, but the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom house is $1,772, the report said.
This gap in affordability is due to a long-term trend of rent costs rising faster than wages, a press release that accompanied the report said.
Another factor is rapid rent growth during the pandemic, coupled with the end of pandemic-era benefit programs that have led to higher eviction filing rates and increased homelessness in some communities.
The disparity in rent costs and wages is worse for people of color, and even worse for women of color.
People of color struggle with disproportionate challenges when trying to find decent and affordable homes, and are also more likely to be employed in lower-wage jobs than white people.
Click here to read the full report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
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