Bishop Cost of Living Tracker

Bishop's Working FamiliesAre Being Priced Out

Three generations of my family have called this town home. Now, the people who keep Bishop running can't afford to live here.

14
Hours

That's how many hours a minimum-wage worker in Bishop must labor — just to pay one month's rent.

Updated Jul 10, 2026
Next update Aug 9
Updated monthly
See the full picture
The Numbers

The Math Behind the Crisis

Real, verified figures. No spin, no estimates. Just the raw reality of what it costs to live in Bishop.

$16.90

California standard minimum wage per hour (2026)

Source: California Department of Industrial Relations
$2,095

Average monthly rent in Bishop, CA

Source: HotPads
124 hrs

Hours at min wage to pay one month's rent

Source: Calculated: rent ÷ wage
The Reality

Where Does the Month Go?

A full-time month is 173 working hours. The red blocks are gone — swallowed by rent — before a single dollar reaches the grocery store, the gas pump, or a child's piggy bank.

124 hours for rent(72%)
49 hours for everything else

Over 3 full weeks of every month —

gone to rent before a single dollar goes to food, gas, healthcare, or savings.

This isn't a budget. It's a slow-motion crisis.

The Math

Where Every Dollar Goes

A full-time minimum-wage worker in Bishop earns $2,929/month before taxes. Here's how much of it disappears the moment rent is due.

Monthly Income: $2,929100%
RENT
LEFT
$2,095
Rent (72%)
$834
Everything else (28%)

$834/month for food, gas, utilities, healthcare, phone, car insurance, and savings.

The 30% Rule — and How Bishop Breaks It

Federal housing experts say rent should cost no more than 30% of gross income. Anything above that is considered a cost burden. Here's how Bishop stacks up:

Affordable rent at min wage
$879/mo
Actual average rent
$2,095/mo
Worker is over budget by$1,216/mo
Wage needed to afford average rent at 30%$40.30/hr

A worker would need to earn 2.4× the minimum wage just to make average rent affordable.

Why This Matters

These Aren't Just Numbers

Behind every data point is a neighbor, a coworker, a classmate — someone working full-time and still falling behind. This is the housing crisis in Bishop, and it's getting worse.

Teachers, cashiers, baristas, caregivers

These are the people who make Bishop function. When they can't afford rent, the whole community suffers.

Families are being forced out

Multi-generation Bishop families — the ones who built this town — are being pushed away by rising costs and stagnant wages.

This is personal for Tyler

Three generations of his family have called Bishop home. He's not watching from the sidelines. He's living it.

Housing isn't a side issue. It's the issue — the one that determines whether Bishop remains a community or becomes a destination only the wealthy can afford.

I have a practical plan to build workforce housing.

Tyler's Plan

This Is Why I'm Running

My grandma moved to Bishop in the 80s. My dad went to high school here. I graduated here, and my siblings followed. Bishop is home — for life.

When working families can't afford to live in the community they built, something is broken. Housing is my #1 priority — and I won't rest until Bishop works for the people who keep it running.

Data Sources & Methodology

1.
California Minimum Wage ($16.90/hr): Sourced from California Department of Industrial Relations. Bishop is in Inyo County, which has no local minimum wage ordinance, so the California state rate applies. California fast-food workers earn a separate, higher wage of $20.00/hour; this tracker uses the standard $16.90 rate that applies to most Bishop workers.View source
2.
Average Monthly Rent in Bishop ($2,095): Sourced from HotPads. Figures represent average rent across available rental listings in Bishop, CA (ZIP 93514) and may fluctuate with market conditions.View source
3.
Hours Calculation: Average rent ÷ hourly wage = hours needed. $2,095 ÷ $16.90 = 123.96, rounded to 124 hours. Full-time monthly hours: 40 hrs/week × 52 weeks ÷ 12 months ≈ 173 hours.
4.
30% Rule: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recommends housing costs not exceed 30% of gross household income. Wage needed = monthly rent ÷ 0.30 ÷ 173 hours.

This tracker is updated monthly by Tyler's campaign team using certified state and market indexes. Figures may fluctuate based on seasonal rental market changes and state wage adjustments.