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Cost of Living in 1991 For Low-income families in Washington State

Executive Summary
 

Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to estimate how much income lowincome families need to maintain a minimum but adequate standard of living.

Methods used:
Consumption standards were set by experts and reviewed by an advisory committee. The consumption standards were then used to form a market basket of necessary goods and services. That market basket was priced throughout the state.

Findings:
According to this study, as of of June 1991, a family of three needs $1,088 per month to maintain a minimum but adequate standard of living in Washington State. This is $72 more than the 1991-92 Washington State cost-of-living standard, which is based on the 1984 Cost-of-Living Study, updated annually for inflation.

The adjacent charts show what proportions of goods and services make up a family of three's minimally adequate budget according to this study and according to the 1991-92 Washington State cost-of-living standard.

For other sized families, DSHS estimates the need standard by applying an equivalence scale to the cost estimate for a family of three. Using this equivalence scale, the cost of maintaining a minimum but adequate standard of living for different sized families is as follows:

Modified: Friday May 19 2006

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