More teachers are commuting to work this year as homes near the schools they♏ teach at have become less affordable.

The average U.S. schoolteacher can only afford to buy 12% of the homes for sale within a 20-minute drive of their school, down from 17% last year, according to a report from broker Redfin. That's less than half of the pre-pandemic levels when 30% of homes near their workplace were affordable to teachers. Only 27% of the available rental properties near their school are affordable for teachers as well.

Average Salary Not Enough

According to the National Educators Association, the average public school teacher salary in the United States is $66,745. As a rule of thumb, an affordable mortgage is typical♏ly twice as much as a person's gross inco♎me.

With the average home price in the US hovering around $416,000 and the average 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:down payment at about $26,250, the outlook for teachers who hope to live a reasonable distance from work looks dismal.

Wages Aren't Keeping Up

Teachers’ salaries aren't keeping up with inflation and the rising 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:cost of homeownership. In 2021-2022, the average U.S. public school teacher salary increased by 2% from the prior year; adjusted for inflation, however, teachers are making $3,644 less than a decade ago.

With the typical homebuyer’s monthly mortgage payment up almost 20% from a year ago and a shortage of homes for sale, teachers str🧸uggle to find affordable housing.

“The shortage of affordable homes is exacerbating the shortage of teachers,” said Redfin Senior Economist Sheharyar Bokhari. “Many teachers who can’t afford to buy a house near work are either renting and missing out on the opportunity to build wealth through home equity or leaving education in search of more lucrative careers."

Catastrophic Teacher Shortages

Government officials are working to rectify the teacher shortage, but it has not been enough. The federal government offers homebuying programs for eligible teachers in the form of grants and down payment assistance. Meanwhile, half of U.S. states have proposed laws to boost teacher pay this 🌠year.

However, schools nationwide are still having to adjust schedules, fill open positions with people without training or experience, and even﷽ bring in teachers from overseas. The problem has gone from a mere shortage to a catastrophe, according to Mark Klaisner, the president of the Illinois Assᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚociation of Regional Superintendents of Schools.

“It’s almost down to, can you find a pulse and a heartbeat, and that’ll work,” he said about filling job vacancies.