In Minnesota, working full-time (or more) doesn’t mean you’ll have enough to pay rent. According to a new report from Minnesota Housing Partnership, the gap between wages and rent is growing. 

Building on an annual report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, MHP’s Out of Reach Minnesota 2019 reveals that Minnesota's housing wage — the wage necessary to afford a two-bedroom apartment — has jumped by 9 percent over the past decade alone. Meanwhile, as housing costs have climbed, median renter income declined by 5 percent from 2000 to 2017, with disproportionately severe impacts on communities of color. 

From personal care aides and cashiers to restaurant cooks and nursing assistants, top in-demand jobs don’t pay enough to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. Minimum wage earners can’t afford to rent a modest one-bedroom apartment in any Minnesota county. And people earning median wages can’t afford to rent a modest two-bedroom apartment in almost half of Minnesota counties.

Read more and download the full report.

Download a one-page overview.