The cost of living in Chester County is the highest of anywhere in southeastern Pennsylvania, according to the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator, which shows what’s required for families to attain an adequate – but modest – standard of living in communities throughout the country.

A family of two adults and two children in Chester County need to earn a combined $104,775 per year, or $8,731 a month, to meet that standard.

That amount is more than the average annual costs in Montgomery County ($100,041), Delaware County ($93,136), and Philadelphia ($84,901).

[uam_ad id=”58459″]

Advertisement

The Family Budget Calculator takes into account geographic differences in cost of living and factors in a broader range of expenses – including housing, food, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and other basic necessities.

“Our Family Budget Calculator goes beyond traditional measures like the poverty line to paint a detailed picture of what families need to get by,” said EPI Senior Economist Elise Gould. “It is, above all else, a tool for policymakers to advocate for ways to raise wages and make their communities more affordable.”

“It’s clear from our analysis that, even in less-expensive areas, many families will struggle to meet their basic needs,” said research assistant Zane Mokhiber. “The good news is we have many different ways to remedy this, from a higher minimum wage to ambitious childcare reform. Policymakers should draw on a range of tools to help people meet the needs laid out in the Family Budget Calculator.”

[uam_ad id=”73615″]