Housing costs are rising in northern California because of a small supply of rental apartments and growing demand for them by technology workers. A strong economy and the technology industry have been blamed for a housing crisis in the San Francisco Bay Area. The industry pays high wages to many of its workers. Because the area is home to many high-tech companies, the workers are willing to pay more for housing. The average cost for a one-bedroom rental apartment in San Francisco is nearly $3,590 a month, according to the website Zumper. Prices are similar in many nearby communities. That rent is even higher than New York City, the second-most costly market in the United States. Zumper reported this month that the average rent in New York for a one-bedroom apartment was $3,340. California renters can expect to pay a lot to live in places like San Jose, which is about 80 kilometers from downtown San Francisco.