By Dan McLean • Burlington Free Press Staff Writer • April 16, 2009

You can get the report here: ON THE WEB at www.nlihc.org.

Vermont is the 15th most expensive state in the U.S. for renters, according to a report jointly released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition.
Advertisement

Vermont’s housing wage has risen to $17.57 per hour, or $36,553 per year. The housing wage is the hourly wage a family must earn — working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year — to avoid spending more than 30 percent of income on rent and utilities for a two-bedroom apartment. The current wage is a 53 percent increase since 2000, according to the report, titled “Out of Reach 2008-2009.”

The report provides data for each state, metropolitan area and county in the country, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Vermont’s rental housing market has been among the nation’s tightest for several years, in part, because of low-vacancy rates that have pushed up rents. Many Vermonters also work in relatively low-wage jobs, creating pressures for households to pay for necessities, the report said.

In Vermont, the average two-bedroom apartment costs $914 to rent each month. The typical Vermont renter earns $11.31 an hour, or $23,524 a year. That’s $6.26 an hour less than is needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment, the report said.

Working at the minimum wage of $8.06 an hour, a family must have 2.2 wage earners working full-time, or one full-time earner working 87 hours a week, to afford the two-bedroom apartment.

“Even in a recession, it is becoming more difficult for low-income families to find safe, decent, affordable housing in Vermont,” said Erhard Mahnke, coordinator for the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition. “If we keep losing jobs, this situation is going to get worse. This report clearly illustrates the pressing need for more affordable housing development in our communities.”

Contact Dan McLean at 651-4877 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it To have Free Press headlines delivered free to your e-mail, sign up at www.burlingtonfreepress.com/newsletters.