According to the Out of Reach 2021 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, you need to earn at least $20.21 an hour to afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment or home in Utah. The average renter’s hourly wage in the state is only $15.66, according to the report. Executive director of the Utah Housing Coalition Tara Rollins says many Utah renters are “living on the edge.”
In Utah, rental situations vary by county. Summit, Salt Lake and Wasatch counties are the most expensive, while counties in more rural parts of the state are cheaper.
The report recommends several federal solutions including expanding access to rental assistance, increasing the supply of affordable housing units and creating a permanent National Housing Stabilization Fund to help families with unexpected financial crises.