I'd be curious to see what's the median age of a person who makes minimum wage. If you worked two 25 hour minimum wage jobs a week, that's 50 hours at 7.25 *4 weeks a month = $1,450.00. Assuming an effective rate of tax of 10%, you're clearing $1,300.00 per month.
Assume $300.00 per month for a 1BR apt.
$200.00 for HH utilities/cell.
$200.00 for Health Insurance.
$250.00 for food.
$150.00 for transportation.
$100.00 for incidentals
$50.00 for short term savings
$50.00 for long term savings
That's a lot of effort for it to be that tight, and you can't spend your January EITC refund in the preceding October when your radiator blows out. I certainly made minimum wage working high school and part-time stuff in college. If it was a full-time job and I was single with no dependents, I'd drive a beater car, work a retail-type job 9-5, wait tables at night and rake leaves or cut grass on the weekend. I bet I could make $2000.00/$2,500.00 a month doing that. Get a roommate to share housing costs. Obviously, kids and debt sink this math.
On the other hand, I think I may have the cost of housing solved for you.
First, make $100,000.00 per year.
Second, apply for public housing aid.
Third,
get it.