This article is the second part of Texas Tech Public Media’s look into rental housing in Lubbock. For more “Renter Worries,” click here.
When Lubbock renters are asked why they stay in The Hub City, the consensus is confirmed by data. New numbers from the National Low Income Housing Coalition show, compared to the rest of the state, fair market rent in Lubbock remains below the average for Texas. But that’s only half the story.
Part of the affordability data from NLIHC is based on minimum wage income, which has been $7.25 per hour in Texas since 2009. While a significant portion of jobs in Lubbock pays more than minimum wage, that doesn’t mean it’s enough to pay the rent.
According to the coalition’s data, 44% of households in Lubbock are renters, 6% more than the state average. The study placed the minimum annual wage needed to rent an average one-bedroom home in Lubbock at $33,520, an hourly income of $16.12.
Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the average hourly wage in Lubbock is $17.58, only $1.46 more than what it takes to rent a place with one bedroom.
Around 40% of workers in Lubbock make over minimum wage but still not enough to afford the rent for one bedroom. Compensating for that often means living with roommates, working multiple jobs or trying to get help through programs like Section 8 with the Lubbock Housing Authority.
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