Effective January 1, 2011, the minimum wage in Washington State is $8.67 per hour and will increase to $9.04 per hour in 2012. In Pierce County, the wage necessary to afford a studio apartment exceeds a minimum wage worker’s income by 55%, by 126% for a two-bedroom apartment and by 270% for a four bedroom apartment.

Put into perspective, a minimum wage worker in Pierce County can choose to work an additional 22 hours per week to afford a studio, or an additional 50 hours a week to afford a two-bedroom apartment. It is easy to see how the cost of living and everyday expenses make it difficult to save, go to school or otherwise make headway towards self-sufficiency as a low-wage worker.