Affordable housing remains out of reach for low-income New Jerseyans, report says
“A New Jersey resident making the minimum wage would have to work 95 hours a week to afford a modest two-bedroom rental home, according to a new report analyzing housing costs nationwide. Only in six other states would someone have to work more hours to afford rent at fair market value, the National Low Income Housing Coalition says in its annual ‘Out of Reach’ report. The report says the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in New Jersey is now $1,742, which requires someone to have an annual income of nearly $70,000, or a $33.50 hourly wage, if they don’t want to spend more than 30% of their pay on utilities and rent. The minimum wage in New Jersey is $14.13.”