Webinar Recap: Inside the 2026 Living Wage Data

On March 26, 2026, the Living Wage Institute team hosted our annual data webinar to share a first look at the 2026 living wage data and walk through what it means for employers, researchers, and community members.

Missed or want to revisit our webinar? Check out the full recording below!

Here's a quick rundown of what we covered:

Living wage basics

We started with a refresher on living wage calculations: ground-up measurements of eight basic needs — including housing, childcare, food, health care, and transportation — across all 3,144 U.S. counties and 12 family types. We also walked through tax estimation, bridging the gap between what families need to spend and what they must earn. 

What’s new in the 2026 model

We shared three meaningful updates to this year's methodology: the incorporation of Connecticut's new planning regions, an improved approach to health insurance premium inflation, and our refined tax calculations powered by PolicyEngine's TAXSIM emulator. These changes strengthen our estimate precision while maintaining the year-over-year consistency our users depend on. 

For a deeper look into our enhanced tax calculations this year, read our post on our partnership with PolicyEngine.

A snapshot of the 2026 data

The team highlighted the range of family-sustaining living wages (for two working adults with two children) across U.S. counties, from $19.79 per hour in Martinsville City, Virginia to $51.73 in San Mateo County, California. We explored how costs shift by family type, how differences in basic needs affect family types, and why location is one of the most important cost of living factors in America. 

Introducing our Hourly Wage Toolkit

We also debuted our Hourly Wage Toolkit, which includes three products designed to help employers set hourly wages with precision. 

Family affordability trends

We closed with a preview of the forces shaping family affordability in 2026, including the basic needs driving cost growth, how cost pressures vary by region, and why no two communities face the same affordability story. 

Explore the data and put it to work

The 2026 living wage data is live on the Living Wage Calculator at livingwage.mit.edu for community members to explore. Employers and others looking to integrate this data into compensation planning, research, or software can learn more about our Hourly Wage Toolkit by reaching out to our team.

Check back on our Insights page in the coming weeks for a deeper dive into the 2026 data, trends, and more.