Columbus, OH

New Jersey State

Upworthy

Public discourse about minimum wage and living wages has been ongoing for years, with people debating whether the government should mandate a minimum hourly pay for workers.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first federal minimum wage law in 1938, setting the lowest wage a worker could be paid at 25 cents per hour. Nearly a century later, the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr, holding steady since 2009, with people lobbying to raise it to at least $15/hr for over a decade. However, in addition to federal law, each state has its own laws, a handful of which establish a state minimum wage higher than $15, a handful of which don't have a set minimum wage at all and everything in between.Cost of living has also been a hot topic as inflation has squeezed everyone's wallets and certain cities and states have become utterly unaffordable, especially for people in low-wage jobs or who who are just starting out in their careers. So how do minimum wage and cost of living correlate state-by-state? Are there any sweet spots with a high(er) minimum wage and low(er) cost of living? 

6 states where the minimum wage and cost of living offer the best bang for your buck

Massachusetts State

If you're thinking of living on your own, you'll need to make about $45,000 per year in most states just to get by. That's roughly the median income needed to cover basic expenses, according to a new analysis by SmartAsset, which looked at estimates for housing, transportation, health care, taxes and other common expenses, as tracked by the MIT Living Wage calculator.

The salary a single person needs to make ends meet in every U.S. state

You'll need to earn around $25 per hour to live on your own in the United States' 25 largest cities. That's a median figure: You'll need more in cities like San Francisco or Boston, and less in San Antonio or Detroit. The money covers a single person's basic expenses like housing in a studio apartment, food, health care and transportation, based on estimates from the nonprofit Economic Policy Institute's Living Wage Family Budget calculator.

How much a single person needs to earn to live alone in the 25 largest U.S. cities

Lee County, MS

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Verona, MS

Mississippi News Group

Verona, MS - On May 30, 2024, the Lee County Sheriff's Department, in collaboration with the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, executed a search warrant in Verona, MS, following a prolonged investigation into illegal narcotics sales from a local shop according to a press release from the LCSD.

Lee County Sheriff's Department Executes Major Drug Bust in Verona

Texas State

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Galveston, TX

Angry Ben

Destructive Storms With a History of Widespread Damage Reaches Galveston and Other Gulf Coast Towns. Good morning everyone. Our severe weather late yesterday and last night throughout the Texas Panhandle and the Dallas/Ft Worth area, organized exactly as discussed in yesterday's articles.

Severe Weather Related "Tsunami" Possible Along Texas Gulf Coast

Reading, PA

Mahanoy City, PA

The Shenandoah (PA) Sentinel

MAHANOY CITY – Two members of a motorcycle club were convicted on federal charges, accused...
The post Convicted motorcycle club members orchestrated ‘brutal’ home-invasion in Mahanoy, feds say first appeared on The Shenandoah Sentinel.

Convicted motorcycle club members orchestrated ‘brutal’ home-invasion in Mahanoy, feds say

Fox Business

Demand for skilled workers is driving up salaries in trade jobs, and vocational school enrollment is on the rise. Here are the higest-paying trade jobs in the U.S. right now.

Skilled workers are in demand, these trade jobs pay the most

Saint Johns County, FL

Hastings, FL

Jacksonville Today

Eight people have been arrested on drug charges stemming from an undercover investigation at a convenience store in Hastings, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

8 arrested in Hastings drug and gambling bust

Alexandria, VA

Business Insider

After her divorce, Úrsula Alvarado was priced out of a studio, where rents jumped. She now lives in an affordable community in Alexandria, Virginia.

I live in one of the most expensive US cities for just $1.5K a month. Nonprofit housing stopped me being priced out.

GOBankingRates

Population increases often lead to an increase in home prices, as increase in demand and lack of supply can drive prices up. To find the places where a boom in population has also led to an increase...

14 Cities Where the Population and Home Prices Are Booming

Dallas, TX

The "Million Dollar Listing" agent revealed the top five US cities where home prices are set to spike, from Atlanta to San Diego.

These are the 5 US cities you should buy a home in before you get priced out of the housing market, says 'Million Dollar Listing' real estate investor

California State

Alameda Post

California regulators just stopped AT&T from pulling the plug. California’s Public Utilities Commission on June 20 rejected AT&T’s application to stop providing landlines and other services in areas where there is no other option.

Still Need Your Landline?

Arizona State

As the summer heats up, so does the housing market across the greater United States. In some places, it is hotter than others, and in a few, it's downright cold. Two states that have some cities to...

Don’t Buy a Home in These Arizona and Texas Cities That Will Drop in Value Quickly

Clark County, WA

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Timothy A Gruver

Dentist Ellis B. Jardine of Clark County has been suspended for allegedly practicing outside the scope of his licenses and subpar care, the Washington State Department of Health reported on Friday.

Dentist Suspended for Subpar Care & Unlicensed Practices

Montana State

Stacker

Stacker analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which jobs in Montana grew the fastest between 2022 and 2023.

The 50 fastest-growing jobs in Montana right now—and how much they pay

Renters and homeowners have had to downsize, tap their retirement savings and delay critical housing repairs to afford the high cost of housing, a recent Nationwide survey said.

Homeowners and renters struggling to afford the high cost of housing: survey

Denver, CO

David Heitz

The mother of a Denver homeless man told the City Council Monday that city-sponsored services have failed her son. Barbara Hallick Yeomans made her remarks during public comment period of the City Council meeting. She said her son grapples with substance abuse and mental illness and repeatedly has been harassed by police. She said her son also suffered verbal abuse by a guard in the Denver County Jail. Yeomans said she heard the guard harassing her son over the phone.

Mother says Denver homeless services have failed her son

Companies are becoming more fond of part timers these days.

US employers want more part-time workers. Here’s what that means

FinanceBuzz

As you plan to retire, inflation may have you hoping to find a more affordable location. Consider these cities in Texas if you have a modest retirement budget.

5 Best Texas Cities To Retire on a Budget of $1,500 a Month

Georgia State

Coffee County, GA

Douglas, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A 49-year-old woman from Douglas was recently arrested for allegedly submitting a life insurance policy for her ex-husband without his knowledge. According to a Coffee County Sheriff’s Office incident report, detectives met with a man on May 7 at the Coffee County Law Enforcement Center concerning a reported case of insurance fraud.

Georgia woman charged for allegedly filing life insurance policy application on ex-husband

NewsBreak

Santa Cruz County jobs rebound, but housing costs, aging population remain challenges

Santa Cruz County’s population has declined since 2017, and industries like health care are growing in part because of an aging population. (BW Research Partnership) SANTA...

Santa Cruz County jobs rebound, but housing costs, aging population remain challenges

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