rising rent sucks

This is how much income an Austinite needs to afford rent in the city

Every year is an ongoing battle for affordability.

If there's one thing nearly all renters can agree on, it's the collective disdain for rising rent prices. Every year is an ongoing battle for affordability, and Austin renters already understand what it's like to live in an expensive city with a dwindling quality of life.

However, there is some solace in knowing that average rent prices in Austin are more than $400 lower than the nearly $2,000 national average. That's according to a recent income-to-rent study by business experts Chamber of Commerce.

The median annual income of an Austin resident is $65,567, the study says, which is $1,767 higher than what they would need to earn to afford the rent for a one-bedroom apartment. A local would need to make $63,800 a year to afford the median monthly rent, which amounts to $1,595.

Austin is not within the top 30 places with highest rents or income-rent gaps on the overall list of 120 U.S. cities.

In comparison, the study says, New York City has the highest rent in the country. Median rent costs $3,495 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, meaning that a New Yorker would need to make nearly $140,000 a year to afford it. According to the study's data, a New Yorker's median income sits at $65,317. But Miami has a larger gap, needing to make $120,000 instead of the actual median of $41,287.

The study used a 30 percent income-to-rent ratio to determine what a resident would need to make to afford their rent without using more than that recommended amount of their income.

The study's findings speak to a bigger problem of housing affordability and availability around the nation.

"Factors such as a lack of housing inventory and high mortgage rates have driven up rental costs across the country, which has left renters with limited options when it comes to finding affordable housing," the study's author said.

Elsewhere in Central Texas, someone living in San Antonio would only need to make $41,960 a year to afford the $1,049 median monthly rent for their one bedroom apartment. San Antonio has one of the lowest rent prices out of all Texas cities listed in the study, and ranked No. 92 overall.

Unsurprisingly, California cities dominate the top 10 most expensive cities on the list.

The top 10 cities with the highest incomes needed to afford rent are:

No. 1 – New York City, New York
No. 2 – Miami, Florida
No. 3 – San Francisco, California
No. 4 – Irvine, California
No. 5 – Boston, Massachusetts
No. 6 – Jersey City, New Jersey
No. 7 – San Diego, California
No. 8 – Fremont, California
No. 9 – San Jose, California
No. 10 – Santa Clarita, California

Data for Chamber of Commerce's study was found using the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Zillow, and Zumper.

The full report can be found on chamberofcommerce.org.

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Fight This Fly

Wildlife officials warn Texans about invasive screw worm

U.S. Department of Agriculture/aphis.usda.gov

The the New World Screwworm (NWS) is a parasite that turns into a fly.

It probably won't take much to convince Texans to stay away from the latest invasive species from Mexico, once they hear about the symptoms. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) says to look out for evidence of the New World Screwworm (NWS) affecting animals, especially near the state's southern border.

So far it sounds like the NWS is still relatively far away, having been spotted in a cow at a checkpoint near the border between Mexico and Guatemala. It was eradicated from the United States in 1966, according to TPWD, but it is being tracked northward from South and Central America.

Although it's called a worm, it is really a parasitic larva, and this is where things get disturbing.

Before the "worms" become the NWS fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax), they lay eggs in open wounds or orifices of live tissue. They are called screwworms because they screw into the flesh, worsening injuries and causing a painful condition called NWS myiasis. An infestation can even lead to the death of the animal.

The larvae drop to the ground after feeding, and emerge as flies that can travel long distances, so the movement of livestock — not just contact among them — is a concern.

If you don't own livestock, you're not quite out of the woods. Although the NWS does affect those animals the most, it also affects wildlife like deer and birds, and even pets and humans. Hunters should also keep an eye out, as well as any "outdoor enthusiasts," says the release.

From the release, here are some things to look out for:

Irritated or depressed behavior
Loss of appetite
Head shaking
Smell of decaying flesh
Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds
Isolation from other animals or people

To keep the flies away, especially when traveling to NWS-affected areas like Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and South American countries, TPWD says it's important to clean and cover all wounds. Travelers should also use insect repellant on outdoor clothing.

Anyone who suspects signs in wildlife of NWS should report their findings immediately to a local wildlife biologist. Reports about livestock should be directed to the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Those enjoying Texas’ natural resources have an opportunity to serve as the first line of defense in protecting wildlife, livestock, and human health,” said TPWD wildlife veterinarian Dr. J Hunter Reed in the release. “Their eyes and ears will be critical to quickly responding and managing this threat.”

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