Here's How Much You Need To Earn To Live In Fairfax City

FAIRFAX, VA—While Fairfax City isn't close to being the cheapest place to live in Virginia (far from it), it falls in the mid-range among Northern Virginia counties, according to the Economic Policy Institute. 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 the City of Fairfax would need to earn a combined $109,192 per year — or $9,099 a month — to live comfortably. Here's how the group breaks down that number:

• Housing: $1,1889 per month
• Food: $769 per month
• Child Care: $1,719 per month
• Transportation: $1,157 per month
• Health Care: $949
• Other Necessities: $1,072 per month
• Taxes: $1,544 per month

Compared to the Washington, DC metropolitan area, that's about average. To live in the DC metro area, that same family would need to earn a combined $105,539 per year, or $8,795 every month, to "attain a modest yet adequate standard of living," the organization said.

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 earns enough.

"It's clear from our analysis that, even in less-expensive areas, many families will struggle to meet their basic needs," said research assistant Zane Mokhiber. "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.

Here's how Fairfax City stacks up against other Northern Virginia counties and cities.

• Manassas City: $96,314 per year, $8,026 per month
• Manassas Park City: $102,162 per year, $8,514 per month
• Falls Church City: $103,536 per year, $8,628 per month
• Prince William County: $105,189 per year, $8,766 per month
• Alexandria City: $105,239 per year, $8,770 per month
• Fairfax City: $109,192 per year, $9,009 per month
• Loudoun County: $112,697 per year, $9,391 per month
• Arlington County: $113,915 per year, $9,493 per month
• Fairfax County: $114,105 per year, $9,509 per month

Patch reporter Dan Hampton contributed to this report

Photo credit: David McNew/Getty Images