Locations
New Hampshire
Statistics on children, youth and families in New Hampshire from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and New Futures
Income to meet basic needs
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Why This Indicator Matters
These estimates are presented to provide context for the estimates of median income and to gain an understanding of how much income families actually need to have their basic needs met.
According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, "Analysts and policy makers often compare income to the federal poverty threshold in order to determine an individual’s ability to live within a certain standard of living. However, poverty thresholds do not account for living costs beyond a very basic food budget. The federal poverty measure does not take into consideration costs like childcare and health care that not only draw from one’s income, but also are determining factors in one’s ability to work and to endure the potential hardships associated with balancing employment and other aspects of everyday life. Further, poverty thresholds do not account for geographic variation in the cost of essential household expenses."1
MIT's living wage model, first created by Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier, provides an alternative to the federal poverty threshold that more fully accounts for a family's basic needs.
1 Glasmeier, Amy K. About the Living Wage Calculator. 2020. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. livingwage.mit.edu
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According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, "Analysts and policy makers often compare income to the federal poverty threshold in order to determine an individual’s ability to live within a certain standard of living. However, poverty thresholds do not account for living costs beyond a very basic food budget. The federal poverty measure does not take into consideration costs like childcare and health care that not only draw from one’s income, but also are determining factors in one’s ability to work and to endure the potential hardships associated with balancing employment and other aspects of everyday life. Further, poverty thresholds do not account for geographic variation in the cost of essential household expenses."1
MIT's living wage model, first created by Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier, provides an alternative to the federal poverty threshold that more fully accounts for a family's basic needs.
1 Glasmeier, Amy K. About the Living Wage Calculator. 2020. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. livingwage.mit.edu
Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
Basic needs includes food costs, child care, health insurance, housing, transportation, and other basic necessities.
Data Source
Glasmeier, Amy K. Living Wage Calculator. 2021. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. livingwage.mit.edu.
MIT (2018). Living Wage Calculator.
http://livingwage.mit.edu/
MIT (2018). Living Wage Calculator.
http://livingwage.mit.edu/
Notes
Updated January 2023.
Last Updated
January 2023