The smallest paychecks in the job market covering Los Angeles and Orange counties would barely cover typical rents, leaving little for other bills.
My trusty spreadsheet looked at a curious federal study of employment and wages across 22 occupations, regardless of the industry in which those jobs are performed. The latest stats are for May 2025.
For perspective on an occupation’s buying power, those wages were compared with what a typical apartment costs in L.A.-Orange County. According to Zillow, that was $2,671 per month in May 2025.
By this math, a healthcare support occupation paid the least at $19.41 an hour. That’s $39,000 a year, assuming 2,000 hours worked annually. Compared to the typical $2,671 cost of an apartment, rent would eat up 83% of this paycheck.
Note that healthcare support jobs represent 5% of all local employment. And, sadly, these same jobs pay 1% more nationwide.
Here are five other low-paying occupations, ranked by average wages:
– Food prep/service pays $20.69 an hour or $41,000 a year. L.A.-Orange County rent equals 77% of wages. The occupation is 9% of all local jobs. And, good news: U.S. wages are 16% less.
– Building maintenance pays $22.02 an hour or $44,000 a year. Rent equals 73%. It’s 3% of jobs. U.S. wages are 17% less.
– Personal services pay $22.40 an hour or $45,000 a year. Rent equals 72%. It’s 2% of jobs. U.S. wages are 13% less.
– Agriculture pays $23.29 an hour or $47,000 a year. Rent equals 69%. It’s 0.1% of jobs. U.S. wages are 17% less.
– Production pays $25.36 an hour or $51,000 a year. Rent equals 63%. It’s 5% of jobs. U.S. wages are 2.2% less.
Not alone
The overall average wage even struggles to keep up with rents.
Look at all jobs across L.A.-Orange County: the average wage is $37.15 hourly, or $74,300 a year. Compared with the region’s typical rent of $2,671, paying the landlord would take 43% of a local paycheck.
That’s a key reason 9% of local families “double up” – that’s living with non-relatives – the fourth-highest share nationally, according to Zillow.
Contrast that mess to the national picture. Average U.S. wages are $67,000 a year, or 12% less than local pay. However, U.S. rents average $1,763 monthly, or 34% less.
Thus, what typically goes to the landlord is just 32% of the national wage. And only 6% of American families double up.
Top dollar
At the other end of the local pay scale, what’s the best-paying occupation locally?
No. 1 is legal work with an average $85.92 hourly wage, or $172,000 annually. That makes rent just 19% of pay. This occupation represents 1% of all local jobs. Nationally, such jobs pay 28% less.
Then came management jobs at $77.12 an hour or $154,000 annually. Rent’s just 21% of pay. This occupation represents 7% of all local jobs. U.S. wages are 10% less.
No. 3 is the computing world at $62.04 an hour, or $124,000 annually. Rent’s just 26% of pay. This occupation represents 3% of all local jobs. U.S. wages are 7% less.
Final twist
Size up the housing-cost squeeze this way: Only six of the 22 local occupations had average wages that would equal 30% or less of rent payments, one affordability standard. Those six occupations employ just 21% of L.A.-Orange County workers.
Consider what jobs met the same standard nationally: eight occupations that employ 28% of U.S. workers.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
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