Sample Cities

We have determined the Universal Living Wage – ULW (National Locality Wage – NLW) for over fifty cities from around the country. By applying the Universal Living Wage – ULW (National Locality Wage – NLW) formula, we have determined the least wage necessary to afford a one bedroom apartment by plugging the HUD Fair Market Rents into the Universal Living Wage – ULW (National Locality Wage – NLW) Formula. Take a look at the Interactive Map to see a global overview.

What is important to note is the wide range of wages required to meet basic housing cost from city to city.  Bottom Line…we are a nation of 1,000+ economies, and one size does not fit all!  Fully employed minimum wage workers are not affording housing across this nation. The national hue and cry has been to return power to local government.

This formula allows us to do just that and to respect the economic individuality of not just every state but nearly every municipality and country region throughout the United States.

Finally, the formula establishes a “continuum of flexibility” from which each individual community can designate whether it wishes to pay a wage that gets its minimum wage workers off the streets and into housing (efficiency apartment). Or, if it chooses, each community can make a decision to pay a wage that will ensure a single woman with a child can afford a one bedroom apartment. Each community can either start at the efficiency level or at the one bedroom level, using the same national formula, which embraces the same national guidelines and is related to the local cost of housing.

The Universal Living Wage – ULW (National Locality Wage – NLW) formula allows us to meet the needs of each community and those of minimum wage workers who are the basic cornerstone of our economic viability as a nation. This formula allows us to recognize states’ rights and their economic diversity all across America. It allows us to meet the needs of each community and those of our minimum wage workers.