The latest self-sufficiency standards report has been released, and I’ve got a copy of the Oklahoma-specific report to review.  This guide – prepared for various communities all around the United States by the Center for Women’s Welfare at the University of Washington– is essential in figuring out a close estimate of what it actually costs to survive in a given area.  Survive – not live in luxury, not live free from worry – just survive…

Here are Tulsa County’s self-sufficiency standards for selected family types:

A close reading of this table shows that the average adult living in Tulsa county needs to earn roughly $9.23 per hour.  The Federal minimum wage for jobs covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act is $7.25.  So – a minimum-wage worker in a covered job needs to find an extra $2.00 per hour to make up the difference for basic survival.

A single adult with a preschooler and a school-age child (not an uncommon situation!) needs to earn almost $19.00 per hour to meet the same standard of living.

More great discussion about the standards and the application of this information HERE.  Clearly, thinking carefully about the kinds of jobs that we choose to target for development, and the accompanying wage levels, is a critical component of good economic development strategy.  The number of jobs is not enough – those jobs must also provide an avenue to self-sufficiency.