What are those “basic” needs? The JOBS NOW report assesses the cost of food, housing, health care, transportation, child care, clothing and taxes in various regions of the state, and uses that data to develop “budgets” for various family models – single-parent, two-parent, etc.

These are no-frills budgets. JOBS NOW models its food budget, for example, on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Low-Cost family food plan. None of the family budgets includes money for “luxuries” like higher education, retirement savings, vacations or restaurant meals.

Go to full Report