Here's How Much You Need To Earn To Live In Manchester

How much does it really cost for a family to live in Manchester? According to the Economic Policy Institute, you'll need a six-figure income to manage.

The organization recently released its 2018 family budget calculator that estimates how costly it is to live in each of America's 3,142 counties and 611 metro areas. The group estimates a family of two adults and two children in Ocean County would need to earn a combined $101,370 per year — or $8,447 a month — to live adequately.

Here's how the group breaks down that number:

• Housing: $1,510 per month
• Food: $802 per month
• Child Care: $1,633 per month
• Transportation: $1,276 per month
• Health Care: $1,078 per month
• Other Necessities: $933 per month
• Taxes: $1,216 per month

Economic Policy Institute said the figure for housing costs, one of the biggest expenses, comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fiscal year 2018 fair market rents. Those estimated fair market rents are used to establish cost information for certain federal housing assistance programs. Fair market rent estimates are generally provided at the 40th percentile of rental costs — the dollar amount below which 40 percent of standard-quality rental units are rented.

In a look at rental listings in Mancester on realtor.com shows only a handful of rentals but most would fall into that category.

Oddly, the Economic Policy Institute's estimated budget for Ocean County is higher than that estimated for neighboring Monmouth County, where it says the same sized family would need to earn $99,043 to "attain a modest yet adequate standard of living," the organization said.

Nearby, in Mercer County, the budget for a family of two adults and two children was at $7,848 per month or $94,171 per year, while in Burlington County it was $7,958 per month or $95,493 annually.

The family budget calculator accounts for geographic differences in cost of living, but does not include many expenses associated with a middle-class lifestyle, including student loan payments or saving for college or retirement.

"Our Family Budget Calculator goes beyond traditional measures like the poverty line to paint a detailed picture of what families need to get by," EPI Senior Economist Elise Gould said in a release. "The latest update provides even greater detail on how costs vary throughout the country. It is above all else a tool for policymakers to advocate for ways to raise wages and make their communities more affordable."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, San Francisco ranked first in the nation as the most expensive metro area with a basic budget of $148,439 a year for a two-parent, two-child household. On the flipside, that same household would only need to earn $58,906 to live comfortably in Brownsville, Texas, the least expensive metro area in the country.

The group noted that many low-wage workers don't make enough money to adequately provide for their family's basic needs. Even after adjusting for higher state and city minimum wages, the group said, there is "nowhere in the country" where a minimum-wage worker would earn enough.

"It's clear from our analysis that, even in less-expensive areas, many families will struggle to meet their basic needs," research assistant Zane Mokhiber said. "The good news is we have many different ways to remedy this, from a higher minimum wage to ambitious child care reform. Policymakers should draw on a range of tools to help people meet the needs laid out in the Family Budget Calculator."

Click here to go to to the calculator. You can change the number of adults and children to see exactly what your household needs to earn to live comfortably in your county.

Patch reporters Kara Seymour and Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Commonwealth Boulevard in Manchester via Google Maps