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Low wage jobs go up, but so does cost of the basics in Michigan

uwmich.org

The cost of basic goods continues to rise in Michigan, and low wage jobs that dominate the economy are not keeping up.  

That’s the conclusion of a new report from the Michigan Association of United Ways.

The focus is mainly on five basic necessities - housing, child care, food, healthcare, and transportation. The costs have gone up, but 62 percent of the jobs in Michigan pay less than 20-dollars an hour.

Nancy Lindman is the Interim CEO of the association. She says there is no quick fix. But awareness and increasing support for good, low cost child care are some of the ways to help this problem. 

“We can all do something. But to work together, come together, community by community in order to improve things for our households.”

   According to the report, the average cost of basic household expenses has increased steadily in every Michigan county between 2007 and 20-15.