This Is the Income a Family Needs to Cover Normal Living Expenses in Pennsylvania

Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square

We all require a certain amount of money each month to pay for normal living expenses, and in recent months, that amount has gotten much higher. Whether at the pump or the grocery store, Americans are being hit with a severe case of sticker shock.

The consumer price index rose an annual 8.5% in March, the highest increase since December 1981. Gas prices accounted for more than half of the rise in costs, but the cost of groceries skyrocketed 10% from the previous year, too.

According to the Family Budget Calculator published by the nonprofit think tank Economic Policy, an average family of four can expect its living expenditures in 2022 to total $86,718. This model assumes a family of two adults and two children – aged four and eight – and a modest yet adequate standard of living. Cost estimates include expenses related to housing, food, child care, transportation, health care, taxes, and other necessities.

In Pennsylvania, the estimated cost of living for a family of four stands at $83,813 for 2022, lower than the national average and the 23rd highest among states. Of all living expense categories, child care has the highest annual cost in Pennsylvania, averaging $19,039 per year for a family of four – or 22.7% of the family’s estimated annual expenses.

The average cost of living for a family of four in the state highlights the financial hardship many Pennsylvania families face. According to the five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, there are about 3,254,500 families living in the state, and an estimated 20.7% of them earn less than $40,000 per year.