Living Wage Calculator
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Description
The Living Wage Calculator (U.S.) was first created in 2004 by Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The living wage model is an alternative measure of basic needs. It is a market-based approach that draws upon geographically specific expenditure data related to a family’s likely minimum food, child care, health insurance, housing, transportation, and other basic necessities (e.g. clothing, personal care items, etc.) costs. Detailed description of the data used in the tool can be found on the landing page of each U.S. state.