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How far a $15 minimum wage goes in 6 US cities

Teamsters Local Union No. 396, union members, Political Coordinator Jim Smith, second from right, and Secretary-Treasurer, Principal Officer, Ron Herrera, far right, join workers as the Los Angeles City Council votes to raise the minimum wage in the city to $15 an hour by 2020, making it the largest city in the nation to do so, in Los Angeles Tuesday, May 19, 2015. The measure approved Tuesday calls for small businesses with 25 or fewer employees to have an additional year to reach the $15 plateau. The council voted 14-1 after members of the public made impassioned statements for and against the plan. The increases begin with a wage of $10.50 in July 2016, followed by annual increases to $12, $13.25, $14.25 and then $15. Small businesses and nonprofits would be a year behind. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes ) Teamsters Local Union No. 396, union members, Political Coordinator Jim Smith, second from right, and Secretary-Treasurer, Principal Officer, Ron Herrera, far right, join workers as the Los Angeles City Council votes to raise the minimum wage in the city to $15 an hour by 2020, making it the largest city in the nation to do so, in Los Angeles Tuesday, May 19, 2015. The measure approved Tuesday calls for small businesses with 25 or fewer employees to have an additional year to reach the $15 plateau. The council voted 14-1 after members of the public made impassioned statements for and against the plan. The increases begin with a wage of $10.50 in July 2016, followed by annual increases to $12, $13.25, $14.25 and then $15. Small businesses and nonprofits would be a year behind. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes )

By Associated Press May 20, 2015 2 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The minimum wage in Los Angeles could increase to $15 an hour by 2020 under a plan given initial approval by the City Council.

That’s a 67 percent increase from the current minimum wage of $9 and would amount to annual pay of about $31,200.

Here’s a look at how far that money could go in six cities, given living expenses.

Figures are based on annual costs for one adult unless otherwise specified and were calculated by the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Poverty levels are according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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LOS ANGELES

HOUSING: $11,445

FOOD: $3,530

TRANSPORTATION: $3,727

CHILD CARE (two adults, two children): $10,073

PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL: 22 percent

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NEW YORK CITY

HOUSING: $13,956

FOOD: $3,435

TRANSPORTATION: $3,542

CHILD CARE (two adults, two children): $20,861

PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL: 20 percent

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SEATTLE

HOUSING: $8,861

FOOD: $3,530

TRANSPORTATION: $3,727

CHILD CARE (two adults, two children): $12,322

PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL: 14 percent

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LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

HOUSING: $4,992

FOOD: $3,021

TRANSPORTATION: $4,189

CHILD CARE (two adults, two children): $9,868

PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL: 17 percent

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MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

HOUSING: $6,912

FOOD: $2,958

TRANSPORTATION: $4,497

CHILD CARE (two adults, two children): $6,647

PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL: 27 percent

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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

HOUSING: $7,416

FOOD: $2,958

TRANSPORTATION: $4,497

CHILD CARE (two adults, two children): $10,635

PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL: 16 percent