Articles like these are better served split up between metro city areas, burbs and rural. Vastly different numbers that are otherwise hidden by averages. 50k ain’t getting you shit inside atlanta and most of the burbs. If you wanna live 2 hours out in the sticks? Sure, maybe
The salary a single person needs to get by in every U.S. state
Submitted 1 year ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to workreform@lemmy.world
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/29/the-salary-a-single-person-needs-to-get-by-in-every-us-state.html
Comments
Bonskreeskreeskree@lemmy.world 1 year ago
BartsBigBugBag@lemmy.tf 1 year ago
[deleted]Asafum@feddit.nl 1 year ago
Nobody seems to get this when I bitch about home prices and low salaries…
Yes I’ll just move to nowhereville, job openings: 6, 5 of which are $10/hr while homes are still $180k
HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 1 year ago
And have a 4 hour commute
AttackBunny@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It is very unlikely a single person is having a comfortable life in San Diego on $80k.
givesomefucks@lemmy.world 1 year ago
No shit…
It’s state averages so it’s not going to be enough for the most expensive areas in any of the states. That’s how averages work
Bye@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It’s averaged over the state. So there are places in California where you can, just not in the major cities.
QuestioningEspecialy@kbin.social 1 year ago
Which means commuting longer to most jobs within major cities. 🤷🏿♂️
bob_wiley@lemmy.world 1 year ago
[deleted]Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
I think the article suggests living wages to live like a king.
The criteria they used is that “50% of income is used to cover necessities, such as housing and utility costs, 30% goes toward discretionary spending, and 20% is left for savings or investments.”.
I don’t know anybody who makes under six figures and saves or invests 20% of their income, and 30% discretionary spending seems like a LOT.
If the article were more realistic, the living wage amounts would be significantly lower than reported. As stated, it would leave people very comfortable.
sara@lemmy.today 1 year ago
That is a good point. $65k in any city/suburb in Washington State probably puts you in a one bedroom apartment. Maybe two if it’s older or shittier. You’re living but certainly not thriving.
Novman@feddit.it 1 year ago
Italy, 22k / year after taxes and health insurance ( public health so taxes ) . 6k / year , 2 room rent. 150-220k 3 room apartment near city center , medium city.
TheMightyCanuck@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
What’s the salary before taxes? 40k?
CrayonRosary@lemmy.world 1 year ago
This study is averages for entire states, and therefore useless. They should have done it by county.
Sanctus@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Damn I’m not even close
ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 year ago
I’m about 12k/ yr shy, and since my state is on the lower end of cost of living, that’s a sizable gap.
Sanctus@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I also have 1 parent staying at home to care for the kids. So technically I need to double mine, which is rather unsavory.
phej@reddthat.com 1 year ago
Why is “getting by” the goal? Shouldn’t the goal be to thrive? American exceptionalism my ass
starman2112@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
$14,000 down, $33,000 to go
cries in minimum wage
DietBajaBlast@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Then stop crying in minimum wage. The only time I made minimum wage was fast food in high school.
Borovicka@lemmy.world 1 year ago
“Have you tried making more money?”
starman2112@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
Fund my job search or shut the fuck up
BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 1 year ago
And how long ago was that?
Naura@lemmy.world 1 year ago
This is a really good source of information by county:
One thing that people forget is that minimum wage is a factor as well. In texas a living wage is $14 and living wage of $25 in california. so you’d think you’d have a better cost of living in texas. However if you compare the minimum wage texas is $7.25 and california is $15.50.
For the amount you work, california is a better deal. However that makes it harder for people to come move to california obviously.
noqturn@lemm.ee 1 year ago
I make more than the article listed for my state, but it’s unlikely I could actually get by on my own, at least not without sacrificing some comforts like a well maintained apartment, eating every day, and paying my bills on time. Granted, I do live in the city. If I lived in the middle of nowhere my CoL would be lower, but then I’d be unemployed.
RaoulDook@lemmy.world 1 year ago
The people who live outside the city are able to find employment too. It’s a myth that jobs are only in the cities. Especially so if you work in tech and can do remote work.
That’s what brings these cost of living averages down - the people not living in big cities whose expenses are less.
noqturn@lemm.ee 1 year ago
I do work in tech, but a lot of what I do now is physical setup. I could not do my current role fully remote, and these jobs only exist in cities or in fairly large companies. Eventually I’d love to move away from the city and work remotely, but that’s not possible right now. I wasn’t trying to generalize to the population as a whole, I was making a comment on my specific experience.
insanitycentral@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 year ago
And federal minimum wage is $7.25 or 15,080 before taxes. Which is about 1/3rd of the lowest in this article (Mississippi at 45,906)
Hazdaz@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Let’s clarify things:
Only 1.4% of US workers are paid minimum wage.
Yeah, keep pounding the “…but, but, but minimum wage” drum and lose all credibility. You are making a disingenuous argument by endlessly talking about a wage that essentially no one is making. Anyone with even the most basic skill of breathing will be making more than minimum wage, and even skill-free jobs like McDonalds have been advertising hourly rates of $10, 12, something even 15 or more an hour.
insanitycentral@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 year ago
I’ll keep beating the horse because even if there’s hardly any jobs that pay that low, the principle of “this is the minimum amount someone needs to earn to live reasonably” doesn’t keep up with the markets and the times, then it only widens the gap of what becomes poverty. Even as other comments have stated that the averages are skewed between the differences of income and cost of living in either rural or cities in these states, my statement isn’t any less valid. Even the existence of such thing as minimum wage was to try and prevent companies from exploiting workers and government is meant to act and protect the interests of its populace, yet here we are where the largest type of theft is wage theft. If the government was doing their job and keeping companies in check, we wouldn’t be reliving history of tent cities. If you got a good job and you’re comfortable, great! Proud of you! Though don’t join in others of the idea of “if people I think lesser than me can live as comfortable as I am, then that’s a problem.” We’re all human and need the same stuff, if anyone’s wants are going to get in the way of others needs, there’s the real problem.
doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 year ago
Every number you just quote from McD’s are still really low. The point stands that minimum wage is way too low to do its job. It’s supposed to raise working Americans out of poverty. All you’ve done is show that the current federal minimum wage is so pathetic you can double it and still be broke af.
Also… 1.4% of Americans is still hundreds of thousands of people. They matter. They deserve a living wage.
PatFussy@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Name 1 job title that actually makes federal minimum wage. I dont mean service or gig workers either because that can vary wildly
Chocrates@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I made minimum wage at Shopko and had lots of coworkers that were adults with no other prospects.
insanitycentral@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 year ago
Store associate. Though the ones you’ve mentioned only “vary wildly” because the scam that is tipping culture (no offense to those that have those jobs but all companies should pay fair wages and not impose on their customers/patrons) and gig work are short/niche/temporary work to fill a need or gaps in industries.
Dracocide@lemm.ee 1 year ago
The cost of living minimum is $40,000+. The most I’ve made in a year is ≈$20,000. Something’s not adding up.
chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 year ago
They say single, so I assume they also mean living alone. Being able to pay rent etc on your own without roommates. Still, while I skimmed the article I didn’t read all the nuance so I might have missed where they specified their parameters.
inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It’s most certainly adding up in shareholder value.
lung@lemmy.world 1 year ago
While couples can usually find some cost savings by splitting mortgage or rent costs, there is no such discount for single people
Hilarious that the author hasn’t heard of roomates
Ret2libsanity@infosec.pub 1 year ago
Requiring roommates to live is a joke
ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
Is this a common sentiment? I had roommates until I was 27 and to me it was the normal way for young, single people to live. I never thought of my roommates as a burden or considered living without them a high priority.
snooggums@kbin.social 1 year ago
Or OnlyFans!
Clearly people need to do things other than live on their regular wages or the author didn't think of it!
GreenMario@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Plan to self retire before I need a roommate.
ohlaph@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It would be interesting to compare home costs to income to get a ratio.
Waldowal@lemmy.world 1 year ago
These all have to be after-tax numbers or there is definitely no way.
ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
I call bullshit on a definition of “living wage” which claims that someone making $100,000 a year is earning less than a living wage (even in Hawaii).
saruwatarikooji@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It looks like it is assuming paying for a mortgage and allowing like 20% for savings. They are definitely not looking at just a living wage, they are assuming home buyers that are actively saving money.
mayo@lemmy.today 1 year ago
20% savings would be nice. That would be like 1500-2000 extra per month. That’s comfortable.
Deralax@kbin.social 1 year ago
Can confirm that these figures are very inflated. I currently live in Hawaii on half of that "living wage". Have a nice (by Hawaii standards) 2 bedroom apartment and still have over 1000 in excess income after rent\utils\groceries\gas each month.
112k is around what i would need to be making to afford a house\mortgage, but its possible to "live" without.
Parkkid@lemmy.world 1 year ago
64,463 for a single person in New Jersey. I’m tying to reach that goal to make that much. Right now I make about 45,000 and am using as many programs as I can (nj snap, some energy program and more) because I’m the sole income provider for my family of 4. I currently am renting a house from a friend for 1500 and he plans to sell soon. When he does I will be screwed. I can’t find rent that low. He should be renting the house I’m in for 2k a month or more. All I want to say is I’m much better off then alot of people out there and life is still a struggle.
Hazdaz@lemmy.world 1 year ago
“While couples can usually find some cost savings by splitting mortgage or rent costs, there is no such discount for single people…”
I guess having a roommate is something they’ve never heard of.
SquirtleHermit@lemmy.world 1 year ago
“getting a roommate is sometimes the only way a single person can cover their expenses.”
I guess you skimmed the article.
luckyhunter@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Well then this article is flawed from the get go. The minimum “living wage” for a individual is the minimum living wage for 2 people divided by 2. If a individual wants to live on their own then that is above the minimum.
jasonwaterfalls@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I know DC isn’t a state but I’m curious since I live here and it’s way too expensive.
cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Try having 2 kids in a HCOL. Shit’s fucked.
mayo@lemmy.today 1 year ago
Honestly how is that even possible. I’m single in HCOL and I budget every item on my grocery list, I cut my own hair, I don’t even use the bus and I’m still near break even some months.
But dual income parent is probably better off than single income solo.
cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 1 year ago
You make it work. Full disclosure, it’s easy for me, personally. Our household earns well. But for many, there are unpleasant compromises.
Mossheart@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
Can’t. Live in Vancouver.
We both make low six figures but can’t qualify for a mortgage and two bedrooms are 3800/month to start for anything suitable for our needs.
cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Sucks brah. Sorry.
luckyhunter@lemmy.world 1 year ago
man, the vast majority of states are a lot lower than i would have expected.
CADmonkey@lemmy.world 1 year ago
About $46k per year in my state. Also, apparently I’m above average.
Murais@lemmy.one 1 year ago
When I lived in the US, I didn’t make enough money to afford any of these states.
Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
“Do you feel trapped by your low-rate mortgage?”
A single person with a mortgage just seems like a terrible idea, though.
mayo@lemmy.today 1 year ago
Worst case I’d move back in with my parents. But being single is hard mode, shouldn’t be, but it is.
Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
But being single is hard mode, shouldn’t be, but it is.
It absolutely is. Homeownership, even with two incomes is hard enough, I can’t imagine it with one.
Kolanaki@yiffit.net 1 year ago
$15/hour minimum wage in California. $31,200/year before taxes if working 40 hours a week.
LeadSoldier@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I’m a disabled veteran in California. I hear you. The government chooses my quality of life and they have chosen poverty.
“Thank you for your service!”
Cosmonauticus@lemmy.world 1 year ago
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the pandemic is Americans calls ppl heros so when don’t want to actually pay them. See teachers, retail workers, nurses, doctors, EMTs, soldiers, first responders, mail carriers, delivery drivers, I can keep going
Hazdaz@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Tell me you have zero marketable skills without telling me you have zero marketable skills.
The tech sector can’t find workers fast enough. Manufacturing is endlessly looking for workers. People that can string a few coherent words together are being hired on-the-spot. Just say you are lazy and drop the charade.
gmtom@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Obvious troll is obvious
Kolanaki@yiffit.net 1 year ago
I do network engineering and also have worked in manufacturing (mostly driving forklifts). Those things are indeed hiring; but they only pay $18/hour, you twit.
rambaroo@lemmy.world 1 year ago
The job market is horrendous in tech right now. You have no clue what you’re talking about.