Living Wage Calculation for Ames, IA
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) |
| |
0 Children |
1 Child |
2 Children |
3 Children |
0 Children |
1 Child |
2 Children |
3 Children |
0 Children |
1 Child |
2 Children |
3 Children |
| Living Wage |
$15.76
|
$30.92
|
$39.68
|
$52.05
|
$24.91
|
$30.78
|
$35.79
|
$40.00
|
$12.32
|
$17.42
|
$22.07
|
$26.31
|
| 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) |
| |
0 Children |
1 Child |
2 Children |
3 Children |
0 Children |
1 Child |
2 Children |
3 Children |
0 Children |
1 Child |
2 Children |
3 Children |
| Food |
$4,010
|
$5,919
|
$8,894
|
$11,789
|
$7,352
|
$9,159
|
$11,812
|
$14,374
|
$7,352
|
$9,159
|
$11,812
|
$14,374
|
| Child Care |
$0
|
$7,161
|
$14,323
|
$21,484
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$7,161
|
$14,323
|
$21,484
|
| Medical |
$3,416
|
$8,178
|
$8,188
|
$8,113
|
$5,914
|
$8,188
|
$8,113
|
$8,266
|
$5,914
|
$8,188
|
$8,113
|
$8,266
|
| Housing |
$7,422
|
$8,894
|
$8,894
|
$12,638
|
$7,526
|
$8,894
|
$8,894
|
$12,638
|
$7,422
|
$8,894
|
$8,894
|
$12,638
|
| Transportation |
$5,356
|
$9,634
|
$11,780
|
$14,164
|
$9,634
|
$11,780
|
$14,164
|
$15,187
|
$9,634
|
$11,780
|
$14,164
|
$15,187
|
| Civic |
$2,959
|
$5,878
|
$6,565
|
$8,951
|
$5,878
|
$6,565
|
$8,951
|
$7,118
|
$5,878
|
$6,565
|
$8,951
|
$7,118
|
| Other |
$4,811
|
$8,394
|
$9,905
|
$10,871
|
$8,394
|
$9,905
|
$10,871
|
$12,160
|
$8,394
|
$9,905
|
$10,871
|
$12,160
|
| Required annual income after taxes |
$28,106
|
$54,190
|
$68,680
|
$88,142
|
$44,830
|
$54,622
|
$62,938
|
$69,875
|
$44,726
|
$61,784
|
$77,261
|
$91,358
|
| Annual taxes |
$4,667
|
$10,133
|
$13,848
|
$20,131
|
$6,977
|
$9,400
|
$11,513
|
$13,326
|
$6,541
|
$10,699
|
$14,541
|
$18,073
|
| Required annual income before taxes |
$32,773
|
$64,322
|
$82,528
|
$108,273
|
$51,807
|
$64,022
|
$74,450
|
$83,201
|
$51,267
|
$72,483
|
$91,801
|
$109,432
|
Typical Annual Salaries
These are the typical annual salaries for various professions in this location.
| Occupational Area |
Typical Annual Salary |
|
Management
|
$106,703
|
|
Business & Financial Operations
|
$69,978
|
|
Computer & Mathematical
|
$86,218
|
|
Architecture & Engineering
|
$83,241
|
|
Life, Physical, & Social Science
|
$67,563
|
|
Community & Social Service
|
$52,249
|
|
Legal
|
$81,257
|
|
Education, Training, & Library
|
$54,333
|
|
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media
|
$53,914
|
|
Healthcare Practitioners & Technical
|
$66,273
|
|
Healthcare Support
|
$33,539
|
|
Protective Service
|
$65,998
|
|
Food Preparation & Serving Related
|
$26,119
|
|
Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance
|
$32,933
|
|
Personal Care & Service
|
$30,992
|
|
Sales & Related
|
$31,775
|
|
Office & Administrative Support
|
$41,521
|
|
Farming, Fishing, & Forestry
|
$32,404
|
|
Construction & Extraction
|
$51,863
|
|
Installation, Maintenance, & Repair
|
$52,337
|
|
Production
|
$41,621
|
|
Transportation & Material Moving
|
$39,581
|
