The responses to our post about how much Denverites need to earn to have an adequate standard of living were fascinating.
The data contained in the piece came from a new study from the Economic Policy Institute.
E.P.I. used the most recent data available to come up with salary amounts for people in a wide variety of circumstances.
Included among them: childless couples, single parent households with between one and four kids and more.
The number that got the most attention, though, was $28,829 — the amount designated as the adequacy line for single people.
Lots of our readers felt this figure was unrealistically low.
Here’s a comment that illustrates this view.
Leah Miller writes:
After taxes your looking at bringing home 1800/month with this suggestion for a single person. 1500/month for rent, another 80 for Xcel, 80 for a phone, and cable or Internet… How do you have money to eat? To save? Let’s hope you don’t have a car and insurance to pay for, too. Or… any other expenses, like a pet! No way you can live off 29k. I work 2 jobs and can barely get by!
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