MECEP believes that Maine families should have adequate food and shelter and be able to achieve long-term economic security through educational opportunities and livable wage employment.

Stay Tuned for More Recent Figures from the Maine Department of Labor

in 2007, The Maine Legislature directed the Maine Department of Labor to adopt MECEP's livable wage methodology and annually measure, calculate and report the livable wages for various household groups. When the 2008 figures are available, we will have a link posted here on our website.

New 2006 Basic Needs Budgets and Livable Wage Estimates

The following are the 2006 basic needs budgets and livable wage estimates for Maine statewide, counties, and metropolitan statistical areas (MSA). They are in table format and are organized by family structure. A methodology that explains the calculations and data sources is also included.

State and County Livable Wage Estimates:

• Maine State Average
• Androscoggin County
• Aroostook County
• Cumberland County
• Franklin County
• Hancock County
• Kennebec County
• Knox County
• Lincoln County
• Oxford County
• Penobscot County
• Piscataquis County
• Sagadahoc County
• Somerset County
• Waldo County
• Washington County
• York County

Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA):

• Bangor MSA
• Lewiston-Auburn MSA
• Portland MSA
• York-Kittery-South Berwick MSA

Basic Needs Budget Methodology:

• MECEP 2006 Methodology

	Choices: Maximizing Maine's Educational Investments, Optimizing Results Feb 12, 2009 by Kurt Wise and Alexis Mann
	Report: Working Hard Still Falling Short Oct 16, 2008 by Brandon Roberts and Deborah Povich
	Report: Getting to the Middle: Executive Summary Sep 19, 2008 by Kurt Wise