I know there are so many threads about this, but here’s my simple response added to the other threads.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/average-rent-by-state
The bottom five states are between:
$700-$800 a month — To rent most homes or apartments is going to require a person to make 3x or more for rent.
$2100-$2400
$7.25 equals minimum wage // $290 per week = $1160 per month. You don’t qualify on that alone.
Let’s say a person works double time, with another job. (8 hrs.) :/ $290 per week brings you to $580. $2320. You would only qualify for rent in the bottom 4 states.
Here’s the problem: taxes and other expenses. Remember, this varies wildly from state to state, city to city, and household to household.
$700 is reduced from $1800.
$1100 is a decent amount until you realize you need healthcare and transportation. Again, depending on what type of insurance you need or the one you can afford may also wildly vary.
You can try to get it through, the job, but two problems arise. Many employers don’t offer “full time” hours and if they do is the level of coverage adequate. You also have to consider the type of benefits offered and the chances that a worker will get injured or ill from a job. A rigorous and/or job where they have to perform moderate manual labor and to fair interactions with the public. You getting sick is probably possible at one point, the longer you stay at a job.
Unless, your state offers decent medical care coverage and allows working people to utilize it. Which range from decent in mostly blue states to almost impossible in red state who will turn down medical funding to lower income working people.
I’m not even at childcare, food, car insurance, home/rental insurance, emergency funds, yet the person is already in the red.