10 Best and Worst Places to Live on Minimum Wage in America

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The Bare Minimum

As housing costs have continued to outpace wages, no one suffers more than minimum-wage workers. However, some places are more affordable than others and provide a better chance for low-income employees to make a decent life for themselves.


Here are the 10 best — and 10 worst — places to live in America if you’re making minimum wage, based on data from real estate site Clever.  

Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York by Zen Skillicorn (CC BY-ND)

No. 10 Best: Buffalo, New York

Buffalo is home of the NFL Bills, the Goo Goo Dolls, and huge amounts of snow. However, in exchange for heavy winters, you’ll get reasonable housing costs. Someone earning minimum wage would only have to pay 39% of their income for a one-bedroom apartment in the Nickel City. 

Downtown St. Louis Beyond the Arch
Art Wager/istockphoto

9. St. Louis

Home to the famous Arch, St. Louis is less famous for being affordable. If you’re earning a minimum wage salary in the Lou, it would only cost you about 46% of your salary to pay for a one-bedroom apartment.  

Skyline of Hartford Connecticut on a beautiful sunny day
SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto

8. Hartford, Connecticut

While New England generally has a reputation for being more expensive than other parts of the country, Hartford may be an exception to the rule. A minimum-wage employee would spend a little less than half of their income to pay for a one-bedroom apartment. 

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Walter Bibikow / Getty Images

7. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Most people think of Minneapolis as a snow-filled metropolis. However, it’s shockingly affordable, even for those living on minimum wage. It would only take 1.71 people living on minimum wage salaries to comfortably pay for a one-bedroom apartment.  

Providence, Rhode Island Cityscape
SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto

6. Providence, Rhode Island

Located in the smallest state in the union, Providence is a mystery to many people. But if you live here, you probably know that it’s fairly cheap. 


Someone surviving on minimum wage would only have to spend 54% of their salary to afford a one-bedroom apartment. 

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Skyline
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

5. Cincinnati

The Midwest is known for lots of things — and affordability is definitely one of them. A minimum-wage employee in Cincy City would only have to spend 55% of their income to afford a one-bedroom apartment. 

Cleveland, Ohio, USA skyline on the Cuyahoga River.
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

4. Cleveland

Whether you’re a local or a tourist, you know that Cleveland is home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But you may not know that a resident of Clevleand making minimum wage only has to pay 55% of their salary for their one-bedroom apartment.  

Kansas City Missouri Lake Skyline
TriggerPhoto/istockphoto

3. Kansas City, Missouri

Home to the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs and delicious BBQ, Kansas City is also home to an affordable lifestyle for those making minimum wage. Only 1.85 people earning minimum wage are needed to pay rent on a one-bedroom apartment. 

Wintery homes downtown Denver Colorado skyscrapers with Rocky Mountains
milehightraveler/istockphoto

2. Denver

While Denver is known for its proximity to the mountains and more than 300 days of sunshine, it may not be as well-known for being budget-friendly for minimum wage employees. 


You would only have to spend 56% of your salary as a minimum wage worker to cover rent on a one-bedroom apartment.  

Aerial view of Detroit city with Woodward ave
pawel.gaul/istockphoto

1. Detroit

Detroit has a lot of things going for it — and affordability is at the top of the list. If you’re living on a minimum wage salary in the Motor City, you only have to pay 61% of your salary to have your very own one-bedroom apartment.  

Algiers Point and Crescent City Connection Bridge in New Orleans - Aerial
halbergman/istockphoto

No. 10 Worst: New Orleans

Despite the beautiful history of the Crescent City, life isn’t so grand. It takes about 3.28 minimum wage salaries to afford a one-bedroom apartment. That’s definitely not what I call easy living in the Big Easy. 

Houston, Texas, USA
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

9. Houston

As the third biggest city in the country, it makes sense that Houston is expensive. And boy is it expensive. If you live on minimum wage, you would have to pay 98% of your salary to cover that one-bedroom apartment. 

Salt lake City Downtown
4kodiak/istockphoto

8. Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a beautiful place to live — but you’ll be paying a hefty price for that scenery. You would need 3.85 consumers earning minimum wage to easily afford a one-bedroom apartment in Utah’s capital.  

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA at Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

7. Philadelphia

What’s harder — climbing the Rocky steps or paying for a one bedroom apartment? It’s a toss up. You would need at least four people to easily pay for a one-bedroom apartment in what was once America's capital. 

Raleigh North Carolina Skyline
Mark Howard/istockphoto

6. Raleigh, North Carolina

Close to both Duke University and the University of North Carolina, Raleigh is one of the biggest cities in North Carolina. And a minimum wage worker will pay a hefty price of 131% of their income for rent. 


It would take 4.22 people to easily pay for a one-bedroom apartment. 

Dallas Skyline Aerial
Art Wager/istockphoto

5. Dallas

If you don’t know the Big D, you may think that it’s an affordable place. Unfortunately, someone earning minimum wage would have to spend 128% of their salary to pay for a one-bedroom apartment — or get more than three roommates to easily pay for that pad. 

Downtown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Skyline Aerial
Kruck20/istockphoto

4. Charlotte, North Carolina

If you want to live in the Queen City, you may have to be as rich as the Queen. A minimum-wage worker in Charlotte would have to spend 131% of their salary to afford a one-bedroom apartment. Or they could split the rent with 3.37 other people. 

Austin Texas cityscape skyline panorama, Congress Avenue Bridge, late afternoon
dszc/istockphoto

3. Austin, Texas

Austin was once famous for its live music scene and “weird” attitude. However, as a recent home to many tech companies, it’s become unaffordable for most minimum wage workers. It takes 4.38 minimum wage workers to comfortably pay for a one-bedroom apartment, since it costs 131% of one worker’s salary to pay rent.  

Nashville, Tennessee
Kruck20/istockphoto

2. Nashville, Tennessee

The fairly recent growth of Nashville may be responsible for the financial hardships that minimum wage workers face. It costs 131% of their salary to pay for a one-bedroom apartment, just shy of the No. 1 spot. 

Aerial view downtown Atlanta skyline
rodclementphotography/istockphoto

1. Atlanta

It may seem odd that Atlanta tops this list, until you consider that it costs 132% of a full-time minimum wage income to afford a one-bedroom apartment. That's more than any other city in the country.