Thunder Bay has the second-highest average rental rates in Northern Ontario.
That's according to the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association, which compiled a list of how much a person needs to earn in order to an apartment in nearly two dozen cities across the province.
The average rent in Thunder Bay last year was $888. Assuming no more than 30 per cent of a person's before-tax income is spent on housing, they would need $35,520 a year, or $17.08 an hour to make that happen. A bachelor apartment's $574 average would need around $22,90 a year, $11.04 an hour, while a one-bedroom runs $738, needing $29,520 a year or $14.19 an hour.
Across Northern Ontario, Greater Sudbury had the highest average rental rate at $927, which needs $37,080 a year or $17.83 an hour. North Bay's $878 needs $35,120, $16.88 an hour, while Sault Ste. Marie was the lowest in the region at $819,$32,760 a year or $15.75 an hour.
To no one's surprise Toronto's apartment rates were the highest in the province. The average $1,251 needs $50,040 year or $24.06 an hour.
A person working full-time on minimum wage earns $22,880 before tax. Only six cities studied have affordable bachelor apartments for that amount of money. None have one-bedroom apartments for that salary.
Annual wages needed to affodr rent:
| City | Bachelor/ Studio | One-bedroom | Two-bedroom |
| Thunder Bay | $22,960 | $29,520 | $35,520 |
| Greater Sudbury | $23,080 | $29,760 | $37,080 |
| Sault Ste. Marie | $22,320 | $27,560 | $32,760 |
| Toronto | $35,840 | $42,680 | $50,040 |
For mroe detailed breakdowns, visit the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association online.
