[MTK1]

Interesting article and data just released by the Vermont Department of Labor.

Low-paying occupations account for most projected jobs growth | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

[BickleTravis]

I was going to post this.
The same article quotes $17.08 as a "livable wage" for a single person in "urban Vermont".
Man... this state is going down in flames.
Guess it's not such a good idea to base an entire state's economy on the hope that rich people will move there...

[Logs and Dogs]

Originally Posted by BickleTravis

Guess it's not such a good idea to base an entire state's economy on the hope that rich people will move there...

.......then do everything possible to remind them they aren't really welcome but feel free to pay more taxes than everyone else........

$17/hr.......$35K/yr............I guess if someone lives in their parents basement and drives their boots or a Huffy, heat with blankets, qualify for every aid program they can they may have sopme money left over for a monthly supply of Ramen Noodles to eat. God help them if they have children.

[Evan_Lanctot]

Originally Posted by BickleTravis

I was going to post this.
The same article quotes $17.08 as a "livable wage" for a single person in "urban Vermont".
Man... this state is going down in flames.
Guess it's not such a good idea to base an entire state's economy on the hope that rich people will move there...

And to think I was thinking of moving back there!

Got out just in time!

[joe moving]

why don't you leave Bickle?

what is a living wage for a single person in vt?

single person is usually proportionally higher than say, a family of 4. so a family of 4 can live on a lot less than 35k*4.

I would say 55k is reasonably comfortable in VT for a family of 4. this is a far cry from 35k though.

[BickleTravis]

Originally Posted by joe moving

why don't you leave Bickle?

what is a living wage for a single person in vt?

I'd love to leave. Problem is, I can't quite save money on my $10.50 an hour temp jobs.
The article quotes $17.08 as a livable wage for a single person in "urban VT", presumably the Burlington area, Barre-Montpelier, Rutland, etc. Not sure about rural VT's living wage.
It would be nice to be able to stay in the place where my family and friends are, but VT is just too exclusive for regular people like me.

[RunawayJim]

$17/hr is plenty for a single person to get by almost anywhere. Burlington itself might be expensive for apartments, but just outside isn't that bad.

[joe moving]

I agree. BUT...

1) how difficult is it to find a full time 17$/hour job with benefits? sounds like it could be hard.

2) if you are a single income family... you are not going to live on 35k very well.

if 35k includes 100% paid for medical insurance (which can be pretty costly here, not sure about VT) AND you own a small home... and you're just paying to maintain and taxes. then I think you can do it.

I dont know what you do Bickle... so it is hard to say.
I sort of feel like whoever I am wherever I am I will work hard to make things work. But I also do not know anything about Burlington and do not have any desire to live there. I know i could not support my family on $10 an hour.

I will admit the job opps in the area we love and where we think about living look pretty weak. Lots of house cleaners, part time cooks and valet parking...that is by Sugarbush.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by joe moving

I agree. BUT...

1) how difficult is it to find a full time 17$/hour job with benefits? sounds like it could be hard.

2) if you are a single income family... you are not going to live on 35k very well.

if 35k includes 100% paid for medical insurance (which can be pretty costly here, not sure about VT) AND you own a small home... and you're just paying to maintain and taxes. then I think you can do it.

Point 2 is moot. That figure is for a single person, not a single income family. Even if you have to pay a portion (even up to 20%) of your medical insurance premium, you can easily get by. You might not be able to afford a home without savings, but you can live in a small apartment outside the city on those wages. Then you only have to worry about your car, not upkeep and taxes on your home.

I've done it on less ($29k in Providence paying 15% of my insurance premiums, where car insurance is double the figures I've seen for VT).

As for your first point, I've been looking through job listings as I hope to someday move up there. While I'm at a point where a lot of the types of jobs I'm looking for are below my experience level and salary, they fit that $17/hr or $35k/yr and include benefits.

[68vette]

At this income forget about home ownership. A modest apartment in Vermont now costs about $1000 a month on average, which requires an hourly wage of $17.70 or an annual income of $36,800. About 50% of Vermont’s occupations have median wages below this threshold. This ranks Vermont as the 7th worst state in the nation for cost burdened renters. Incomes remained essentially flat since the previous year. Once the rising cost of goods and services is factored in, there was a small decline in relative incomes for Vermont households.These are not urban Vermont the numbers are reflecting. The numbers are what the average is in the state. When families pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing costs, they don’t have enough left over for other basic necessities, like food, clothing, transportation and health care. Another cost that many overlook is retirement. Most businesses do not contribute or contribute very little unless you put in a % of your income.
The Vermont Dept. of Labor released income data on the 10 occupations employing the most Vermonters, all but two were below the 17.70. 17.70 is the new hourly figure that was released recently due to the increases in goods and services.
I live just outside of Burlington. The places to live or rent are not much cheaper than what you get in Burlington. The big difference is many of the places are slightly larger or in better condition for the money.