In Wisconsin, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $763. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $2,542 monthly or $30,505 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $14.67.

In Wisconsin, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $7.25. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 81 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 2.0 minimum wage earner(s) working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable.

In Wisconsin, the estimated mean (average) wage for a renter is $11.97 an hour. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment at this wage, a renter must work 49 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, working 40 hours per week year-round, a household must include 1.2 worker(s) earning the mean renter wage in order to make the two-bedroom FMR affordable.

Monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for an individual are $674 in Wisconsin. If SSI represents an individual’s sole source of income, $202 in monthly rent is affordable, while the FMR for a one-bedroom is $628.

A unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of the renter’s income.

* Statistics from: National Low Income Housing Coalition