COLUMBUS, OH (WOWO) A full-time Ohio worker now needs to earn nearly $24 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom rental, according to a new housing affordability report showing rents continuing to rise faster than many workers’ wages.
The annual Out of Reach report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio found that the statewide “Housing Wage” — the hourly income needed to afford a rental home without spending more than 30% of income on housing — increased to $23.82 per hour in 2026.
That figure represents a more than 5% increase from last year, when the Housing Wage was $22.51 per hour according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
The report defines Housing Wage as the amount a full-time worker must earn to afford a home priced at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Market Rent while keeping housing costs at or below 30% of household income.
Ohio’s Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment is currently $1,238 per month, meaning a household needs an annual income of about $49,537 to cover rent and utilities without exceeding that affordability threshold.
For a one-bedroom apartment, the statewide Fair Market Rent is $996 per month.
Ohio has nearly 1.6 million renter households, according to the report.
Researchers found the average Ohio renter earns $19.59 per hour — $4.23 less than the hourly wage needed for a typical two-bedroom rental.
The affordability gap has widened significantly in recent years. In 2020, the difference between the average renter wage and the Housing Wage was $1.57 per hour. The report said the Housing Wage has increased 169% over the past six years.
“Renters’ incomes shot up in the early 2020s, but then rent increases eventually swamped the wage gains,” Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio Executive Director Amy Riegel said in a statement.
“And it’s not just housing. The cost of food, transportation, healthcare, childcare, and education is continuing to rise while people working in low wage jobs are getting squeezed.”
The report found that many of Ohio’s most common occupations do not pay enough for workers to afford a two-bedroom apartment at the statewide Housing Wage.
Of the state’s 10 most common jobs, only general operations managers and registered nurses typically earn above $23.82 per hour.
Workers in jobs including fast food, retail sales, stocking, labor, home health care and cashier positions generally earn median wages below $20 per hour, according to the report.
Ohio’s minimum wage for non-tipped workers is currently $11 per hour. At that rate, a minimum wage worker would need to work approximately 87 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom rental and about 70 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom apartment.
Advocates say raising wages could help close the affordability gap. Economic Policy Institute estimates cited by Policy Matters Ohio indicate that approximately 616,700 Ohio workers would receive higher pay if the state increased its minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2030.
Housing costs vary significantly throughout the state.
Union County had the highest Housing Wage in Ohio, with workers needing to earn $27.56 per hour to afford a two-bedroom rental.
Major metropolitan areas also exceeded the statewide average. The Housing Wage was reported at:
- Columbus: $27.50 per hour
- Cincinnati: $26.02 per hour
- Cleveland: $24.60 per hour
- Dayton: $24.48 per hour
The report also highlights a continuing shortage of affordable rental housing in Ohio.
According to the 2026 Gap Report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and COHHIO, Ohio is short approximately 266,000 affordable and available rental units.
Housing advocates say that shortage is contributing to rising homelessness.
“While we’re helping many families get stably housed, even more are falling into homelessness every day,” Fred Berry, president and CEO of Humility of Mary Housing in Akron, said in a statement.
“The lack of affordable housing is increasing the risk of homelessness and making it harder to get out of homelessness.”
Federal data shows 12,196 people experienced homelessness in Ohio last year, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual Homelessness Assessment Report.
National housing advocates say rental assistance remains limited compared with the number of households that qualify.
Renee M. Willis, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said only about one in four eligible households receives federal housing assistance.
“To meaningfully address the affordable housing crisis, the federal government must adequately fund housing programs in a way that would expand rental assistance and both preserve and increase the supply of deeply affordable homes for those with the lowest incomes,” Willis said.
Housing advocates say expanding affordable housing options, increasing rental assistance and addressing wage growth will be necessary to reduce pressure on Ohio renters as housing costs continue to rise.
