The non-profit Orange County Living Wage announced a new annually adjusted living wage of $14.90 an hour in the county. The change, which was announced Monday, became effective January 1.

The organization helps set the guidelines for businesses in the county to be living wage employers, which means paying full and part-time employees the minimum amount of income needed to cover the most basic needs. The cost of rent, utilities, food, transportation and childcare in an area all contribute to how high or low the living wage is.

Director of Orange County Living Wage Susan Romaine said her organization is excited and grateful to employers that the county’s living wage is more than double the state and federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

“While our living wage adjusts for rising rent,” said Romaine, “the state and federal minimum wages have not budged in over 10 years. OCLW is extremely grateful to our living wage employers who are helping their workers make ends meet at a time of an affordable housing crisis here at home as well as across the state and country.”

OCLW says more than 200 employers in Orange county are certified with the organization as living wage employers. In 2018, the organization raised the county’s living wage to $13.70 an hour.

To calculate its living wage, OCLW says it uses the widely accepted Universal Living Wage Formula. This formula is based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standard: no more than 30 percent of a person’s gross income should be spent on housing. For its living wage calculations, OCLW defines “housing” as the average cost of a one-bed apartment in a four-county area comprised of Alamance, Chatham, Durham and Orange. OCLW includes the surrounding counties to calculate average rent because many local employees live in and commute from surrounding counties. The organization says only 20% of those who work in Orange County also live in the county, largely because of more affordable housing options in the nearby areas.

To learn more about its conditions for being a certified living wage employer or details on the living wage, visit Orange County Living Wage’s website.

Related Stories
‹
Co-Founder of Orange County Living Wage Details Upcoming Shutdown, Shift in Advocacy Efforts
Orange County Living Wage announced it would fold as an organization at the end of December due to funding constraints. Co-founder of the effort Susan Romaine joined 97.9 The Hill's Aaron Keck on the air to discuss the decision.
Orange County Living Wage Set to Suspend Operations, Close Before 2025
The local nonprofit Orange County Living Wage announced it is set to end its operations after nine years after funding sources dried up.
A Living Wage in Orange County? You'll Need $15.85 An Hour
We've reached the start of a new year, and that means Orange County also has a new living wage: $15.85 an hour, up 45 cents from last year.
OCLW Raises Living Wage
The Orange County Living Wage Project has increased what they consider their living wage. As of January 1, OCLW’s living wage is $13.70 per hour, or $12.20 for employers that offer health insurance. Chair of OCLW’s steering committee Susan Romaine says the adjustment accounts for an increase in rent in the area. “We use something […]
From Chapel Hill To The Amazon - And Back: Benefit Violin Concert Sunday For OCLW
Chapel Hill native and internationally acclaimed violinist Jennifer Curtis will perform Sunday to support Orange County Living Wage.
One Hundred And Counting: Orange County Living Wage
Local employers have raised wages more than $500,000 a year since Orange County Living Wage was founded.
Good News Friday - Local Businesses are Lining Up to Offer a Living Wage!
Local Businesses are lining-up to offer a Living Wage! According to Susan Romaine of the Orange County Living Wage Project, A 'living wage' is the minimum amount that a worker must earn to afford their basic necessities, without public or private assistance.
Carrboro Recognized as Living Wage Employer
The Town of Carrboro’s living wage plan will be implemented beginning July 1. The Orange County Living Wage, a non-profit organization, has recognized Carrboro and 64 other employers that have raised all employee wages to a living wage. OCLW bases its wage standard on a living wage, a nationally accepted formula that determines how much […]
How Much Is a Living Wage in Orange County? $17.65 Per Hour
The nonprofit Orange County Living Wage has calculated this year's local living wage as $17.65 an hour, up 6 percent from 2023.
Orange County Living Wage Rises Again for 2023
Orange County Living Wage has once again raised its numbers from 2023, setting this year’s rate at $16.60 an hour for hourly workers and $15.10 for employers who pay at least half of employees’ health insurance costs. Those marks stood at $15.85 and $14.35 last year. Orange County Living Wage determines these figures by using […]
›