Cost of Living in Mecklenburg County
According to The 2008 North Carolina Living Income Standard, a family of three (one adult and two children) living in Mecklenburg County must make approximately $3,479 per month just to meet their basic needs (see Table below for detailed breakdown)1.
This conservative formula uses the lowest estimate for necessities such as food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, other necessities and taxes. Unfortunately, the minimum wage in North Carolina is only $6.55/ hour or $1048 per month, resulting in a huge shortfall. 2
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Table 1
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Housing
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$707
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Food
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$328
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Childcare
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$977
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Healthcare
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$588
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Transportation
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$257
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Other Necessities
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$279
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Taxes
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$365
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Monthly Budget
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$3,479*
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*Applies to one family (one adult and two children) living in Mecklenburg County.
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This enormous shortfall is why many families find themselves juggling bills and expenses every month. Too often, this results in an unpaid energy bill, a hungry child or an eviction notice.
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