There Are States Where Renters Need to Work Over 70 Hours a Week to Afford a Two-Bedroom Home

On the average renter's wage in the United States, a standard workweek falls more than 30 hours short of making a modest two-bedroom rental affordable in five U.S. states, according to an analysis of 2026 housing data.

In Hawaii, renters earning the state's average renter wage would need to work approximately 86.6 hours weekly. New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and New Jersey follow in the ranking, which compares average renter wages with the income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental without spending more than 30% of gross earnings on rent and utilities.

The analysis by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia uses the National Low Income Housing Coalition's Out of Reach 2026 data. Nationally, renters earning the average renter wage need approximately 55.9 hours of work weekly to meet that affordability threshold, nearly 16 hours beyond a conventional full-time schedule.

Hawaii stands apart as its average renter wage is $22.81 an hour, compared with a two-bedroom "housing wage" of $49.38. The monthly fair-market rent used in the calculation is $2,568. At the average renter wage, meeting the affordability benchmark requires the equivalent of more than two 40-hour workweeks.

However, that does not mean every Hawaii renter actually works those hours. It measures the mismatch between wages and rental costs for someone relying on that hourly income. New Hampshire ranks second, with an estimated 72.4 hours required each week. Its average renter wage of $21.68 falls well below the $39.24 hourly income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental at the state's $2,040 monthly fair-market rent.

Maine follows at 70.7 hours. Although its two-bedroom rent benchmark is lower, at $1,681 monthly, the average renter wage is also lower, at $18.29 an hour. The hourly wage needed to make that rental affordable during a standard workweek is $32.32.

Rhode Island ranks fourth at 70.6 hours, with an average renter wage of $19.24 and a two-bedroom rental benchmark of $1,765 monthly. Its housing wage is $33.95 an hour. New Jersey completes the five states above 70 hours.

Renters earning the state's average $24.92 hourly wage would need approximately 70.4 hours weekly to afford a two-bedroom rental costing $2,282 a month under the study's measure. The corresponding housing wage is $43.89.

The Northeast also dominates the next positions, with Vermont requiring 67.1 hours weekly, followed by Maryland at 64.9, Massachusetts at 64.0, and Connecticut at 63.6. California rounds out the top 10 at 63.4 hours.

It has the highest two-bedroom housing wage among states, $52.79 an hour, but its higher average renter wage of $33.30 reduces the hours required relative to the five leading states. At the other end, North Dakota is the only state where average renter earnings make a two-bedroom rental affordable within 40 hours, requiring approximately 39.6 hours. Wyoming follows at 43.8 hours and Arkansas at 44.3.