Want to get an apartment in Bellingham? It’ll cost you 72 hours of work a week.
Finding an affordable apartment these days seems to be almost impossible as many people are paying higher rates than previous years, according to The National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Washington state’s minimum wage is unlivable by rental price standards, currently only paying $14.49 an hour, less than a dollar increase since 2021’s minimum wage, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
While only making $14.49 an hour, you’d have to work 72 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom rental home in Washington state.
The discouraging data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition also found the annual income you would need to afford renting:
Need a one-bedroom apartment in Washington? You’ll need to make $49,877. If you need two bedrooms you will need to be making $60,966 a year.
For those hoping to live in Bellingham, they will need to make about $25 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment or house, according to The National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Rental units in the 98226 and 98229 zip codes will require renters to make $24.81 to afford rent. For those in the 98225 zip code, they must make $25.19.
Rental prices in the Bellingham area have fluctuated in the past few months, according to RentHub, a rental data website.
Why is rent so expensive in Bellingham?
Housing in the city of Bellingham is more expensive than other places for three main reasons, according to the city of Bellingham:
▪ Housing construction fell behind the city’s population growth, causing more demand and prices to increase.
▪ There is a large gap between income, and how expensive rental units are, as there are few rental units available that are affordable for median-income families.
▪ There is a desire to live in Bellingham.
