Roanoke has the lowest cost of living of any 100K+ metro in the US? (Lynchburg: how much, unemployment rate)

[Taggerung]

According to the 'Living Wage Calculator'

https://livingwage.mit.edu/

The 'living wage' for the Roanoke area is $12.08/hr for a single person with no children.

https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/40220

That's the lowest I've seen. I've looked at the metro areas of famously low COL states ie Ohio, Alabama, Kansas, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, WVA, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas. No metros in any of those states have a lower living wage, and neither do other low COL metros in VA such as Lynchburg or Staunton.

How accurate is this? Is Roanoke really the cheapest metro in the nation?

[Taggerung]

Never mind, I found a metro cheaper than Roanoke...

Johnstown PA, with a living wage of $11.88, is the only >100K metro I've found with a lower 'living wage' than Roanoke.

[Rabrrita]

That model is not about what is a living wage to live, it's about the fine line between when a person can barely survive on their own or have to resort to social services (welfare) for assistance. Since Roanoke has multiple assistance programs available outside the welfare system, it artificially drags down the number as there are community options before you have to seek assistance from government social services. Roanoke has always been one of those communities with medium cost of living yet when grouped as a whole for the region, it artificially comes out as being a lower economical area than it really is. To put it more bluntly, the number represents how much you need to make while accepting all the available program support before you must start holding a cardboard sign at the street corner and going on welfare.

[badger74]

Originally Posted by Rabrrita

That model is not about what is a living wage to live, it's about the fine line between when a person can barely survive on their own or have to resort to social services (welfare) for assistance. Since Roanoke has multiple assistance programs available outside the welfare system, it artificially drags down the number as there are community options before you have to seek assistance from government social services. Roanoke has always been one of those communities with medium cost of living yet when grouped as a whole for the region, it artificially comes out as being a lower economical area than it really is. To put it more bluntly, the number represents how much you need to make while accepting all the available program support before you must start holding a cardboard sign at the street corner and going on welfare.

I doubt that is true. Far too granular for such a broad study.

[Taggerung]

Found three more- Jackson, TN has a living wage of $11.28. Metro population 115K, Longview TX, living wage $11.88, metro population 205K, and Morristown, TN- living wage $11.94, metro population 142K. So as it stands right now, Roanoke actually has the 5th lowest COL among 100K+ metro areas.

[lchoro]

You might look at Dayton, Ohio and McAllen, Texas. My recollection is that the second one made the news about healthcare because of the high number of retirees living there and people going across the border for medical tourism.

The trade off is low unemployment rate in Dayton versus high unemployment in McAllen. The latter also well-known as one of the lowest cost retirement cities.

[Taggerung]

Originally Posted by lchoro

You might look at Dayton, Ohio and McAllen, Texas. My recollection is that the second one made the news about healthcare because of the high number of retirees living there and people going across the border for medical tourism.

The trade off is low unemployment rate in Dayton versus high unemployment in McAllen. The latter also well-known as one of the lowest cost retirement cities.

McAllen- $12.63
Dayton- $12.87

Still a higher living wage than Roanoke.

[Rabrrita]

Originally Posted by badger74

I doubt that is true. Far too granular for such a broad study.

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"

[lchoro]

Originally Posted by Taggerung

McAllen- $12.63
Dayton- $12.87

Still a higher living wage than Roanoke.

Living Wage Calculator

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Taggerung

McAllen- $12.63
Dayton- $12.87

Still a higher living wage than Roanoke.

But that sure ain't purdy...just sayin'.