Livable Wage

A community can define a livable wage that covers the costs of basic family needs such as food, housing, childcare, transportation, healthcare, clothing, household expenses, personal expenses, and insurance. In Tompkins County, Alternatives Federal Credit Union has been preparing livable wage studies since 1994, updating them periodically to better reflect actual economic conditions in the area.

Typically, communities that define a livable wage establish policies that restrict economic incentives to those businesses that provide livable wages to their employees. Some communities have also developed a local livable wage ordinance that requires employers located in the community to pay a minimum wage, based on the community's livable wage to their employees.