Inland Empire's Lowest-Paying Jobs Struggle to Cover Rent, Data Shows

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 11, 2026

A federal occupational wage analysis for Riverside and San Bernardino counties finds that workers in agriculture, healthcare support, food prep, and transportation — collectively representing a significant share of local employment — face rent burdens of 57–72% of their average paychecks. The region's overall average wage of $31.33/hour leaves typical rents consuming 44% of pay, well above the 32% national average. Only 20% of Inland Empire workers are employed in occupations where housing costs meet the standard 30%-of-income affordability threshold, compared to 28% nationally. The data signals constrained discretionary income for a large segment of the local workforce, with implications for staffing demand and candidate financial pressure in key blue-collar and service sectors.