The median home in America costs $403,000. Nearly 75% of households cannot afford a new one. A full-time minimum-wage worker would need to work 116 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. Groceries are up 30% since 2020. Childcare for two children costs more than rent in every state.
The administration proposed cutting HUD by 44% and eliminating the three largest community development programs. Congress rejected most of those cuts, but rule changes are still moving.
Home Prices and the Housing Wage
In no county in America can a full-time worker earning minimum wage afford a modest two-bedroom rental. The national “housing wage” (what you need to earn per hour to afford rent without spending more than 30% of income) is $33.63. The federal minimum wage is $7.25. It has not been raised since 2009.
The crisis hits some states harder. New Hampshire’s median home price is $535,000, a 78% increase since 2019. A buyer needs $158,000 per year to afford it. The state’s median income is roughly half that. Nevada’s median is $490,000, and a family needs $120,000 while the median income is $78,000.
Rent, Eviction and Corporate Landlords
52.4% of renters are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. The country is short 7.2 million affordable rental units for extremely low-income renters.
A federal lawsuit alleged that RealPage, software used by landlords managing millions of units, coordinated rent prices by sharing nonpublic data between competing landlords. Kentucky’s AG sued the state’s largest landlords over algorithmic rent-fixing. Institutional investors now own over 700,000 single-family homes. Tell Congress to ban algorithmic rent-fixing software.
”We are a blue-collar town with white-collar house prices.”
Resident of Las Vegas, on the cost of living in a city built on service-industry wagesTariffs and Building Costs
The National Association of Home Builders estimates tariffs add $17,500 to the cost of a new home. A 45% duty on Canadian lumber, the source of roughly one-third of U.S. softwood, drives the largest share. The National Association of Home Builders estimates tariffs will result in 450,000 fewer homes built through 2030.
Grocery prices have risen 30% since 2020. Beef is up 14.8% year-over-year.
HUD Funding and Homelessness Policy
The Trump administration proposed cutting HUD by 44% and eliminating Community Development Block Grants and LIHEAP entirely. Congress rejected most cuts and increased HUD funding by $7.2 billion, but rule changes to the Continuum of Care program still threaten housing stability.
Section 8 housing choice voucher waitlists are closed in New York City, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and San Diego. Families wait years for a voucher.
In July 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14321, which ended federal support for Housing First and let agencies favor grants to cities that enforce camping bans. It built on the Supreme Court’s 2024 Grants Pass ruling that cities can punish people for sleeping outside. HUD’s January 2025 count found 745,652 people homeless on a single night, 266,320 of them unsheltered, down 3% from the record 771,480 a year earlier.
Childcare Costs
The cost of childcare for two children exceeds rent in all 50 states. An estimated 134,000 families are pushed into poverty by childcare costs alone. The average family spends more on childcare than on food.
New Mexico became the first state in the nation to sign universal childcare into law, launching in November 2025. The program covers all families regardless of income.
If Congress funds childcare
- Working parents stop choosing between a paycheck and care for their children
- Women re-enter the workforce at higher rates, boosting GDP
- The NM model proves universal childcare is possible at the state level
If federal programs are cut
- Families already spending more on care than rent absorb higher costs
- Rural childcare deserts expand as providers close
What You Can Do About Housing Costs
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Check your rent-to-income ratio. If you are spending more than 30% of gross income on rent, you are cost-burdened. If more than 50%, you are severely cost-burdened. Know the number before making other financial decisions.
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Apply for assistance before you need it. Section 8 waitlists are years long. LIHEAP helps with energy bills. 211.org connects you to local housing, food, and utility assistance. Apply now, not when you are in crisis.
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Contact your representatives about HUD rule changes. Congress blocked the 44% budget cut, but rule changes to homelessness programs are still moving. Send the letter to block the HUD rule changes and name the specific program and local project it funds.
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Ask your city council about corporate landlords. How many rental units in your city are owned by institutional investors? What is your city doing about algorithmic rent-setting? Attend a council meeting.
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Support state-level housing legislation. Washington passed a $244 million housing investment. New Hampshire passed a “homes near jobs” initiative. Vermont passed a $71.8 million housing bill. Your state can too.
Last updated September 23, 2026