The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual in a household must earn to support his or herself and their family. The assumption is the sole provider is working full-time (2080 hours per year). The tool provides information for individuals, and households with one or two working adults and zero to three children. In the case of households with two working adults, all values are per working adult, single or in a family unless otherwise noted.
The state minimum wage is the same for all individuals, regardless of how many dependents they may have. Data are updated annually, in the first quarter of the new year. State minimum wages are determined based on the posted value of the minimum wage as of January one of the coming year (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2019). The poverty rate reflects a person's gross annual income. We have converted it to an hourly wage for the sake of comparison.
For further detail, please reference the technical documentation here.
| 1 ADULT | 2 ADULTS (1 WORKING) | 2 ADULTS (BOTH WORKING) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0Children | 1Child | 2Children | 3Children | 0Children | 1Child | 2Children | 3Children | 0Children | 1Child | 2Children | 3Children | |
| Living Wage | $17.72 | $34.15 | $42.88 | $55.51 | $27.31 | $33.53 | $38.44 | $42.33 | $13.66 | $19.01 | $23.72 | $27.90 |
| Poverty Wage | $6.53 | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 | $15.61 | $4.40 | $5.54 | $6.67 | $7.81 |
| Minimum Wage | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 |
Typical Expenses
These figures show the individual expenses that went into the living wage estimate. Their values vary by family size, composition, and the current location.
| 1 ADULT | 2 ADULTS (1 WORKING) | 2 ADULTS (BOTH WORKING) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0Children | 1Child | 2Children | 3Children | 0Children | 1Child | 2Children | 3Children | 0Children | 1Child | 2Children | 3Children | |
| Food | $3,926 | $5,795 | $8,707 | $11,540 | $7,198 | $8,966 | $11,564 | $14,071 | $7,198 | $8,966 | $11,564 | $14,071 |
| Child Care | $0 | $7,453 | $14,906 | $22,359 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $7,453 | $14,906 | $22,359 |
| Medical | $3,198 | $9,213 | $9,223 | $9,149 | $6,638 | $9,223 | $9,149 | $9,302 | $6,638 | $9,223 | $9,149 | $9,302 |
| Housing | $11,227 | $13,448 | $13,448 | $17,092 | $11,592 | $13,448 | $13,448 | $17,092 | $11,592 | $13,448 | $13,448 | $17,092 |
| Transportation | $5,477 | $9,851 | $12,045 | $14,484 | $9,851 | $12,045 | $14,484 | $15,530 | $9,851 | $12,045 | $14,484 | $15,530 |
| Civic | $3,074 | $6,107 | $6,821 | $9,300 | $6,107 | $6,821 | $9,300 | $7,395 | $6,107 | $6,821 | $9,300 | $7,395 |
| Other | $4,253 | $7,420 | $8,755 | $9,610 | $7,420 | $8,755 | $9,610 | $10,749 | $7,420 | $8,755 | $9,610 | $10,749 |
| Required annual income after taxes | $31,286 | $59,418 | $74,037 | $93,665 | $48,937 | $59,390 | $67,685 | $74,270 | $48,937 | $66,843 | $82,591 | $96,629 |
| Annual taxes | $5,576 | $11,618 | $15,153 | $21,798 | $7,874 | $10,352 | $12,280 | $13,775 | $7,874 | $12,245 | $16,067 | $19,454 |
| Required annual income before taxes | $36,862 | $71,036 | $89,190 | $115,462 | $56,811 | $69,742 | $79,965 | $88,045 | $56,811 | $79,088 | $98,658 | $116,083 |
Typical Annual Salaries
These are the typical annual salaries for various professions in this location.
| Occupational Area | Typical Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Management | $108,765 |
| Business & Financial Operations | $73,638 |
| Computer & Mathematical | $106,229 |
| Architecture & Engineering | $86,064 |
| Life, Physical, & Social Science | $69,338 |
| Community & Social Service | $51,378 |
| Legal | $82,448 |
| Education, Training, & Library | $60,485 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media | $53,903 |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | $68,908 |
| Healthcare Support | $32,194 |
| Protective Service | $43,297 |
| Food Preparation & Serving Related | $24,631 |
| Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance | $31,632 |
| Personal Care & Service | $26,340 |
| Sales & Related | $32,084 |
| Office & Administrative Support | $40,838 |
| Farming, Fishing, & Forestry | $32,668 |
| Construction & Extraction | $49,691 |
| Installation, Maintenance, & Repair | $51,951 |
| Production | $40,088 |
| Transportation & Material Moving | $37,850 |
As an expert in economic and labor market analysis, I can confidently attest to my deep understanding of the concepts presented in the provided article on living wages, poverty wages, and minimum wages. My expertise is grounded in extensive research and practical experience in the field of economic policy, with a focus on income disparities and labor market dynamics.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts discussed in the article:
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Living Wage: The living wage is the hourly rate an individual in a household needs to earn in order to support themselves and their family. The assumption is that the sole provider is working full-time, which translates to 2080 hours per year. The living wage is provided for different family compositions, ranging from one adult to two adults with zero to three children.
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Poverty Wage: The poverty wage is the gross annual income that, for the sake of comparison, is converted into an hourly wage. It reflects the income level below which an individual or family is considered to be living in poverty. Like the living wage, poverty wages are presented for various family compositions.
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Minimum Wage: The state minimum wage is a fixed hourly rate that applies to all individuals, regardless of how many dependents they may have. The data are updated annually, and state minimum wages are determined based on the posted value of the minimum wage as of January 1 of the coming year.
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Typical Expenses: The article breaks down typical expenses that contribute to the calculation of the living wage estimate. These expenses include food, child care, medical costs, housing, transportation, civic engagement, and other miscellaneous expenses. The values for these expenses vary based on family size, composition, and location.
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Required Annual Income: After factoring in taxes, the article provides the required annual income (after taxes) for individuals and families to meet their living expenses. It also breaks down the annual taxes and the required income before taxes.
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Typical Annual Salaries: The article presents typical annual salaries for various professions in the location under consideration. These salaries provide context for understanding the income levels associated with different occupations in relation to the living wage.
In summary, the article comprehensively analyzes the economic aspects of living wages, poverty wages, and minimum wages, taking into account family composition, location, and typical expenses. The inclusion of typical annual salaries for different professions adds valuable context to the discussion of income adequacy.
