HONOLULU (KHON2) — As living costs continue to increase across the country, the federal minimum wage is not a livable one in many places. In fact, it hasn’t been raised since 2009 when it was set at $7.25 per hour. If you earn minimum wage and are looking to move, you’re probably wondering which cities are the most affordable.
Move.org, a platform that reviews moving companies, compared the average rent in the nation’s most populous cities to the minimum wage in those cities to find the answer — and it isn’t in Hawaii.
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According to the study by Move.org, the hourly minimum wage is higher than $7.25 in all of the 10 best cities for minimum wage earners.
In Urban Honolulu, the minimum wage is also higher at $10.10, but the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment costs $1,948. That makes it the least livable city for minimum wage earners.
“You would have to work 24 eight-hour shifts (192 hours) in a month to make enough money for rent,” the study said.
While the minimum wage is less in Cleveland, Ohio — set at $9.30 — it is ranked the most affordable large city in the nation to live in for minimum wage earners. The average monthly rent is only $619.50.
In California, the rent is high, but the minimum wage is also higher than the federal minimum. There’s only one major city (Irvine) on the list of least livable cities. Bakersfield, Fresno and Stockton were among the best cities for minimum wage earners, according to the study.
Worst cities for minimum wage earners
| Rank | City | State | Population | Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment | Hourly minimum wage | Monthly hours worked at pre-tax minimum wage to afford rent | Hourly earnings required for acceptance into apartment communities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | 345,055 | $1,948.00 | $10.10 | 192.87 | $37.46 |
| 2 | Austin | Texas | 979,263 | $1,377.50 | $7.25 | 190.00 | $26.49 |
| 3 | Plano | Texas | 285,849 | $1,321.50 | $7.25 | 182.28 | $25.41 |
| 4 | Atlanta | Georgia | 506,804 | $1,293.00 | $7.25 | 178.34 | $24.87 |
| 5 | Raleigh | North Carolina | 474,708 | $1,229.50 | $7.25 | 169.59 | $23.64 |
| 6 | Irvine | California | 287,387 | $2,452.50 | $15.00 | 163.50 | $47.16 |
| 7 | Charlotte | North Carolina | 885,707 | $1,174.00 | $7.25 | 161.93 | $22.58 |
| 8 | Nashville-Davidson | Tennessee | 668,580 | $1,162.50 | $7.25 | 160.34 | $22.36 |
| 9 | Durham | North Carolina | 279,447 | $1,093.00 | $7.25 | 150.76 | $21.02 |
| 10 | Arlington | Texas | 398,860 | $1,073.00 | $7.25 | 148.00 | $20.63 |
Best cities for minimum wage earners
| Rank | City | State | Population | Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment | Hourly minimum wage | Monthly hours worked at pre-tax minimum wage to afford rent | Hourly earnings required for acceptance into apartment communities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland | Ohio | 380,989 | $619.50 | $9.30 | 66.61 | $11.91 |
| 2 | Bakersfield | California | 384,159 | $1,031.00 | $15.00 | 68.73 | $19.83 |
| 3 | Detroit | Michigan | 670,052 | $678.50 | $9.87 | 68.74 | $13.05 |
| 4 | Fresno | California | 531,581 | $1,041.50 | $15.00 | 69.43 | $20.03 |
| 5 | Tucson | Arizona | 548,082 | $910.50 | $12.80 | 71.13 | $17.51 |
| 6 | St. Paul | Minnesota | 308,096 | $918.00 | $12.50 | 73.44 | $17.65 |
| 7 | St. Louis | Missouri | 300,576 | $842.00 | $11.15 | 75.52 | $16.19 |
| 8 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 429,605 | $1,095.50 | $14.25 | 76.88 | $21.07 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 303,954 | $715.00 | $9.30 | 76.88 | $13.75 |
| 10 | Stockton | California | 312,682 | $1,170.00 | $15.00 | 78.00 | $20.63 |
The study found that even in cities where minimum wage could cover rent, most apartment communities wouldn’t accept someone earning that wage as a tenant. In Urban Honolulu, the hourly earnings required for acceptance into apartment communities is $37.46.
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Move.org analyzed 75 of the most populous cities in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Rent data was pulled from their Apartment List, and minimum wage numbers were from The Economic Policy Institute. Crime stats, unemployment rates and other quality of life factors were not included in this study.
