The pay that a family of 4 needs in NJ for basic survival in each county

Let’s say you’re lucky enough to be entertaining a job offer. You have a spouse with two kids, and you’re at that awkward stage of figuring out if you’re being lowballed by the offer or expecting too much.

It’s just one of many scenarios which could be helped by a clever calculator designed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It’s called their Living Wage Calculator. Based on data from numerous sources such as consumer spending studies by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, information from Housing and Urban Development, etc., it estimates how much money you’ll need to afford basic minimum needs in specific areas of the country.

Not just which state. Expenses can vary wildly within a state. Ask anyone in New Jersey looking for a home in Salem County versus Bergen County. This tool can be much more specific.

An article on APP.com breaks this down different ways for each county in the Garden State.

Before I share what income is needed for a family of four in each county, keep in mind this is not to live what one would deem comfortably. This is just to survive paycheck to paycheck without any hope for savings and without landing on public assistance. This is bare minimum.

And it’s shocking.

What an eye-opener on so many levels. I instantly see I could be living in a more affordable part of New Jersey. Anyone can see that even the most affordable parts of our state are still unacceptably too expensive and change in Trenton is long overdue.

If you want to see other breakdowns for single people, a single parent raising one child or a single parent raising two kids you’ll find it here.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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