(NewsNation) — Americans are gearing up for a massive holiday shopping season, but behind the scenes, many retail workers are struggling to afford even a standard apartment.
The typical retail worker earns $34,436 per year — less than half of the roughly $71,000 needed to rent a typical unit, according to a new Redfin analysis.
That means a retail worker would have to put in 83 hours a week to cover today’s $1,779 rent and keep housing costs under the 30% affordability threshold.
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“Since most retail workers don’t earn enough to afford the typical apartment, many are opting to share rent with a family member or friend, move far away from their job, or live in a very small space,” Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather said in the report…