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Maine renters must work more than two minimum wage jobs to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment.

Maine renters currently earn significantly less than the hourly wage required to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment in the state. A new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition reveals that Maine residents must earn $32.32 per hour, or $67,224 annually, to afford a two-bedroom rental at the fair market rate of $1,681. However, the average Maine renter earns only $18.29 per hour. For those earning the state's minimum wage of $15.10, the report indicates that a renter would need to work 86 hours a week to afford a typical two-bedroom unit. The study ranks Maine as having the 19th highest housing wages in the country, an improvement from its 26th place ranking last year. Housing wages are notably higher in urban centers and southern coastal areas. In the Portland area, the required wage is $40.96 per hour, while York County requires $33 per hour. Maine renters currently earn less than the average renter nationally, and the gap between their earnings and the required housing wage outpaces the national average.

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