This is the Living Wage in Pennsylvania
Are you curious if you make the living wage in Pennsylvania? It’s a common question. If you’re finding that the cost of living seems to be more expensive than what you can afford, you might be below the living wage line. Here are the newest numbers.
Livingwage.mit.edu has released data on the living wage in Pennsylvania. As for what it means to make a living wage, “The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual in a household must earn to support his or herself and their family,” they explain. “The assumption is the sole provider is working full-time (2080 hours per year).” Their research also features data for a variety of situations. For example, they have data for households where two adults are working, as well as for people without children and with children. Their stats also include the current state minimum wage, so you can see how it stacks up to the living wage.
The Living Wage in Pennsylvania
Let’s get to the numbers. What’s the living wage in Pennsylvania? Right now, according to Livingwage.mit.edu, the living wage for someone with no children in our state is $16.41. If you have one child, that goes up to $34.45. If you have two children, that raises to $44.42. For three children, it’s $58.10. This is for hourly wages. Also, if you have two adults with only one working, the living wage is $26.40 with no children. It’s $32.83 with one child, $37.62 with two children and $41.63 with three children. So, if you make below that hourly wage for your specific situation, then you aren’t quite making the living wage.
Here’s information on the poverty wage. Here, for a single person, the poverty wage is $6.53 with no children, $8.80 with one child, $11.07 with two children and $13.34 with three children. As for the state minimum wage, it’s currently $7.25. To find more on Pennsylvania’s living wage, go here.
