Families and individuals working in low-wage jobs make insufficient income to meet minimum standards given the local cost of living. We developed a living wage calculator to estimate the cost of living in your community or region based on typical expenses. The tool helps individuals, communities, and employers determine a local wage rate that allows residents to meet minimum standards of living.

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Recent Articles

Impact Of The Minimum Wage On The Poor (Response To Jardim Critique)
Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier and Mr. Ade Samuel 12/05/2018

Income inequality is becoming a more and more pressing issue within the United States. The growth of the gap between America’s top earners and the rest of the country has many concerned that the poor and even the working class may soon be left b...

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Living Wage Local Spotlight Location: Orange County, North Carolina
Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier and Ade Samuel 10/31/2018

Living Wage: $11.83 per hour

Minimum Wage: $7.25 per hour

Orange County is one of the areas with the highest cost of living within the state of North Carolina. The county is home to almost 145,000 people and a concerted grassroots effort t...

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AvalonBay may not be a household name, but it is a name associated with thousands of households a...
Mr. Ade Samuel and Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier 10/16/2018

AvalonBay may not be a household name, but it is a name associated with thousands of households across the U.S. The American company is one of the nation’s largest exchange listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) with an estimated total enter...

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