Renters in Clark County must earn $32.25 an hour to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment, according to the 2026 Out of Reach report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The figure highlights the gap between local wages and housing costs in the Portland-Vancouver metro area, where the fair market rent for a one-bedroom unit has reached $1,677 per month.

According to reporting originally published by The Columbian, the calculation is based on the standard that housing costs should not exceed 30 percent of a household’s gross income. For those earning the minimum wage, the report indicates a significant labor requirement to meet this threshold:

• $32.25: Required hourly wage for a one-bedroom apartment
• $1,677: Monthly fair market rent for a one-bedroom unit
• 75: Hours per week a minimum wage employee must work to afford the unit

The data arrives as the region continues to face high rates of housing instability. As previously reported on July 31, 2026, children accounted for nearly 30 percent of the 8,202 people experiencing homelessness in Clark County last year, according to the Council for Homelessness.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual report tracks the "housing wage," which is the hourly rate a full-time worker must earn to afford a modest rental home without spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing. The 2026 figures for the Vancouver area reflect the ongoing economic pressure on households as local leaders manage growth and infrastructure costs.

Source: $32.25 an hour