Living Wage (2010–2024)

Definition

This indicator reports on a living wage calculated for each county using an online tool developed by the Living Wage Project. A living wage is the hourly pay rate that an individual must earn to support a family working full time, year-round (40 hours per week for 52 weeks a year). It is based on estimates of the cost of living in each county using a set of typical expenses for the location, including food, child care, health care, housing, transportation, other necessities, and taxes.

The category "2 adults 2 children" reflects the living wage when both adults in the household are working. Read more about the MIT Living Wage model and access the technical notes for 2021-2022 here.

Data Source

Glasmeier, Amy K. Living Wage Calculator. 2021. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. livingwage.mit.edu.

Notes

Updated January 2025.

Last Updated

2025-01