FL Rents Among Highest In U.S.: See City-By-City List

FLORIDA — Florida remains one of the most expensive U.S. states for renters, according to a new state report. In fact, most low-income residents need to work close to three jobs just to afford a modest, two-bedroom home in the Sunshine State.

Out Of Reach, a new report released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, looked at data to determine the discrepancy between wages in Florida and what residents actually need to earn to afford a rental home in the state.

The results are grim. At Florida's current minimum wage of $12 per hour, some of the state's 2.7 million renters would need to work 117 hours per week — or 2.9 full-time jobs — to afford a two-bedroom rental home at the current fair market rate of $1,833.

"This year’s report confirms what housing advocates have known for years: we cannot accept our housing crisis as 'normal,'" the report states. "Instead, we must build a nation where everyone has a quality, accessible home they can afford in a thriving, healthy community."

To afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at the fair market rate in Florida, full-time workers need to earn $35.24 per hour, the report found. This is assuming the person spends no more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

Many do not earn that much. According to the report, the average worker in Florida earns $22.63 per hour, making Florida the 1oth most expensive in the United States for renters.

Some parts of the state are worse than others. In Miami, the fair market rate for a two-bedroom rental home is $2,324. For a minimum wage worker to afford that, they would have to work 3.7 full-time jobs.

Here's a list by metropolitan area that includes the average cost of a two-bedroom rental home, the hourly wage required to afford it and how many jobs a person would have to work if they were making minimum wage:

Baker County

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,061
• Wage: $20.40
• Jobs: 1.7

Cape Coral-Fort Myers

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,677
• Wage: $32.25
• Jobs: 2.7

Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,526
• Wage: $29.35
• Jobs: 2.4

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,413
• Wage: $27.17
• Jobs: 2.3

Fort Lauderdale

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $2,102
• Wage: $40.42
• Jobs: 3.4

Gainesville

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,397
• Wage: $26.87
• Jobs: 2.2

Homosassa Springs

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,116
• Wage: $21.46
• Jobs: 1.8

Jacksonville

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,604
• Wage: $30.85
• Jobs: 2.6

Lakeland-Winter Haven

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,250
• Wage: $24.04
• Jobs: 2

Levy County

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $905
• Wage: $17.40
• Jobs: 1.5

Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $2,324
• Wage: $44.69
• Jobs: 3.7

Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,782
• Wage: $34.27
• Jobs: 2.9

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,815
• Wage: $34.90
• Jobs: 2.9

Ocala

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,266
• Wage: $24.35
• Jobs: 2

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,857
• Wage: $35.71
• Jobs: 3

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,434
• Wage: $27.58
• Jobs: 2.3

Palm Coast

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,465
• Wage: $28.17
• Jobs: 2.3

Panama City

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,523
• Wage: $29.29
• Jobs: 2.4

Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,278
• Wage: $24.58
• Jobs: 2

Port St. Lucie

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,573
• Wage: $30.25
• Jobs: 2.5

Punta Gorda

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,380
• Wage: $26.54
• Jobs: 2.2

Sebastian-Vero Beach

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,462
• Wage: $28.12
• Jobs: 2.3

Sebring

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,117
• Wage: $21.48
• Jobs: 1.8

Tallahassee

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,339
• Wage: $25.75
• Jobs: 2.1

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,851
• Wage: $35.60
• Jobs: 3

The Villages

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,250
• Wage: $24.04
• Jobs: 2

Wakulla County

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,176
• Wage: $22.62
• Jobs: 1.9

Walton County

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $1,191
• Wage: $22.90
• Jobs: 1.9

West Palm Beach-Boca Raton

• Cost of 2 BR rental: $2,226
• Wage: $42.81
• Jobs: 3.6

In conclusion, the authors of the report called on lawmakers to address affordable housing by "prioritizing long-term solutions" including rental assistance vouchers for low-income families.

"Congress must also invest in solutions to expand and preserve the supply of affordable housing by passing the Housing Crisis Response Act of 2023 and reduce the power imbalance between landlords and tenants by enacting federal renter protections," the report states.

View the full Florida report online.