Indiana’s housing crisis is squeezing out the very people who keep our communities running. Home health aides, retail clerks, restaurant cooks, and janitors—many of them women and people of color—are earning too little to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. In fact, 14 of Indiana’s 20 most common occupations fall short of the Housing Wage of $22.18/hour. These jobs represent over 800,000 Hoosiers—more than a fifth of the entire workforce. When essential workers can’t afford to live where they work, communities face rising turnover, declining services, and deepening inequality. Solving this crisis starts with valuing essential labor—and ensuring those who serve Indiana can afford to stay here. 

"Out of Reach" is an annual report co-released by NLIHC and Prosperity Indiana. Read the full release at housing4hoosiers.org/2025/07/17/out-of-reach