Roanoke has the lowest cost of living of any 100K+ metro in the US?

[Trail Dreamer]

With this "living wage" analysis are they thinking people making this will be living in tents down by the river? These are poverty wages.

[Rabrrita]

Originally Posted by Trail Dreamer

With this "living wage" analysis are they thinking people making this will be living in tents down by the river? These are poverty wages.

I'll repost this from the actual report:

Originally Posted by Rabrrita

That's' exactly what they stated in the report details. For the purpose of the report:
"The living wage is the minimum income standard that, if met, draws a
fine line between the financial independence of the working poor and the
need to seek out public assistance or suffer consistent and severe housing
and food insecurity"

basically, it's what a person needs to make to stay one penny away from going on welfare.

[Trail Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Rabrrita

I'll repost this from the actual report:


basically, it's what a person needs to make to stay one penny away from going on welfare.

So, it really is rock bottom... almost not worth going to work.

[nm9stheham]

Originally Posted by Trail Dreamer

With this "living wage" analysis are they thinking people making this will be living in tents down by the river? These are poverty wages.

Some perspective needs to be added on the relative cost of living. It has always been pretty cheap in some parts of the US, like SW Va, and folks are lot more frugal there. Comparison of COL index in Roanoke runs in the range of 20-25% less than in Phoenix, for example.


And I haven't looked at that calculator's assumptions in a few weeks, but it may also assume a 2 income family.

[Trail Dreamer]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

Some perspective needs to be added on the relative cost of living. It has always been pretty cheap in some parts of the US, like SW Va, and folks are lot more frugal there. Comparison of COL index in Roanoke runs in the range of 20-25% less than in Phoenix, for example.


And I haven't looked at that calculator's assumptions in a few weeks, but it may also assume a 2 income family.

You might be right that they are assuming a 2 income family.

In my younger days, I did live in various smaller towns that cost considerably less than here in PHX. I grew up in Virginia as I lived there, NE Tennessee, and in Central Kentucky, over the years respectfully. Even so, 25 years ago, the CORP I work for started us out at 12.50 bucks an hour. That same 12.50 an hour equates to roughly 23 bucks an hour in today's money. That same Big CORP now starts people out at 17.65 an hour. So, they are paying people less today than compared to 25 years ago.

So, my point is, I do not concur with the suggestion of their figures being "living wages" or the line that indicates when a person/family enters poverty. From what I see, I believe the figures are well below poverty.