How Much You Need To Earn To Live In Each County In America

NEW YORK, NY — San Francisco is the priciest metro area in the country, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The think tank recently released its 2018 family budget calculator that estimates how much it really costs to live in each of America’s 3,142 counties and 611 metro areas.

The group estimates a family of two adults and two children in the San Francisco metro area would need to earn a whopping $148,440 per year, or $$12,370 a month, to live comfortably. Much of those costs are driven by high housing costs and taxes.

Here’s how the group breaks down that number:

• Housing: $3,121 per month
• Food: $998 per month
• Child Care: $1,730 per month
• Transportation: $1,114 per month
• Other Necessities: $1,662 per month
• Taxes: $2,593 per month

Compared to the New York metro area, that might seem like a bargain/rip-off.

To live in the New York metro area, that same family would need to earn a combined $124,129 per year, or $10,344 every month, to “attain a modest yet adequate standard of living,” the organization said.

The family budget calculator accounts for geographic differences in cost of living, but does not include many expenses associated with a middle-class lifestyle, including student loan payments or saving for college or retirement.

“Our Family Budget Calculator goes beyond traditional measures like the poverty line to paint a detailed picture of what families need to get by,” EPI Senior Economist Elise Gould said in a release. “The latest update provides even greater detail on how costs vary throughout the country. It is above all else a tool for policymakers to advocate for ways to raise wages and make their communities more affordable.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, that same household would only need to earn $58,906 to live comfortably in Brownsville, Texas, the least expensive metro area in the country. That amounts to $4,909 a month.

The EPI noted that many low-wage workers don’t make enough money to adequately provide for their family’s basic needs. Even after adjusting for higher state and city minimum wages, the group said, there is “nowhere in the country” where a minimum-wage worker would earns enough.

“It’s clear from our analysis that, even in less-expensive areas, many families will struggle to meet their basic needs,” said research assistant Zane Mokhiber. “The good news is we have many different ways to remedy this, from a higher minimum wage to ambitious child care reform. Policymakers should draw on a range of tools to help people meet the needs laid out in the Family Budget Calculator.”

Click here to go to to the calculator. You can change the number of adults and children to see exactly what your household needs to earn to live comfortably in your county.

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