To ensure our data better reflects on-the-ground economic realities, the Living Wage Institute has partnered with PolicyEngine  to enhance how we calculate household tax obligations. This partnership represents our continued commitment to delivering accurate, actionable data for the employers, workers, and communities who depend on it.  Unlike rent or a grocery bill, taxes aren't always a visible line item in a family's budget—but they represent the gap between what families

For millions of Americans, economic self-sufficiency has felt increasingly out of reach. In recent years, the affordability crisis has rippled across communities, with businesses struggling to retain hourly workers, policymakers trying to close the gaps between costs and wages, and families living on the brink of financial instability. Our 2026 living wage data grounds these discussions in local realities. Updated annually and built on over two decades of research, our data c