Priced out

Austin named one of the least affordable cities in U.S. for minimum-wage renters

paying rent, moving, paying bills, renter

Not so easy when you're making $7.25 an hour.

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If you’re a minimum-wage worker who’s hunting for an apartment in Austin, you might be out of luck in terms of affordable options.

The Capital City recently made a new GOBankingRates list of the 15 least affordable U.S. cities for minimum-wage renters.

The U.S. and Texas minimum wages are $7.25 an hour. In Austin, someone earning minimum wage would need to work at least 198.68 hours to pay the monthly rent for the typical one-bedroom apartment, according to GOBankingRates.

Four other Texas cities made the list of the least affordable places for minimum-wage renters, all in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area: Plano ranked third for the number of work hours needed to afford a one-bedroom rent, while Irving came in at at No. 9, Dallas at No. 11, and Fort Worth at No. 15.

While those four DFW cities didn’t fare well, the numbers for Austin are even worse. Based on an average 2022 one-bedroom apartment rent of $1,440.00 and an hourly rate of $27.70 needed to get that apartment, Austin ranked second for the number of work hours needed to afford a one-bedroom apartment.

“A bustling cultural hub, the capital city of Texas has become another city where the cost of living has far outpaced the wages — thanks in part to the $7.25 minimum wage,” GOBankingRates notes.

Ahead of Austin on the list of least affordable places for minimum-wage-earning renters was Atlanta, where 213.16 work hours are needed to afford a one-bedroom apartment, according to GOBankingRates.

Campus News

University of Texas bans drag shows across its entire system

Photo courtesy of KVUE

The University of Texas has taken a hard stance against drag shows.

Drag performances will no longer be permitted at the University of Texas at Austin's campuses and independent institutions.

The decision was shared by UT's System Board of Regents chairman Kevin P. Eltife, who told KVUE that "university facilities, supported by taxpayers, will not serve as venues for drag shows."

The decision comes less than a week after a North Texas judge sent a letter to UT's System Board of Regents pushing for the ban.

"Rather than promoting anything to do with education, drag shows and related events denigrate women," Tarrant County judge Tim O'Hare wrote to the university. He wrote that these performances "highlight men reducing the perception of women to stereotypes and body parts."

In his letter, O'Hare cited an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on the first day of his second inauguration. The order states that federal funding is paused for programs that promote "gender ideology," among other changes impacting gender identity.

O'Hare stated that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also sent a letter to the university instructing it to follow the executive order.

Changes to drag performances, DEI initiatives at Texas universities
UT isn't the first Texas university system to ban drag shows from its institutions. This year, Texas A&M also halted drag performances from all 11 of its campuses statewide.

Back in 2023, Senate Bill 12 was passed by Texas lawmakers banning drag shows, especially around children. That same year, it was considered unconstitutional by a U.S. judge.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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