Issue Brief: Housing Affordability for Illinois Artists and Creative Workers (2019–2021)

In Illinois, the average worker working at minimum wage ($12 per hour) would have to work 64 hours per week to afford a modest 1-bedroom rental home. To afford a 2-bedroom home while working full time, a worker would need to make $22.80 per hour - an annual salary of $47,434. For many workers across the state, income has not kept up with the cost of rent. The impact of job and wage instability during the COVID-19 pandemic further illustrated the precarious nature of the connection between work and housing in Illinois.

Watch the April 2023 panel discussion event: Housing Affordability for Illinois Artists & Creative Workers