According to a living wage calculator from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the average single adult with no children would need a wage of about $14.01 per hour to subsist within acceptable living standards in Texas. However, as of November 2021, the minimum wage in the state is still set to $7.25 per hour, which matches the current Federal Minimum Wage.
Although the cost of living in the Lone Star State is about 8.8% lower than the national average, Texans are still hoping for a much-anticipated increase. Let’s break down what it costs to live comfortably in Texas in 2021.
| Expense Type | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | $3,177 | $5,825 | $9,305 |
| Housing | $9,333 | $10,489 | $12,799 |
| Childcare | N/A | N/A | $14,083 |
| Medical | $2,750 | $6,270 | $8,694 |
| Taxes | $4,064 | $6,572 | $11,205 |
| Transportation | $5,133 | $9,378 | $13,896 |
Texas’s last minimum wage increase, which brought it up from $6.55 per hour to $7.25, took place over 10 years ago. Still, as other states move toward a higher base pay, many Texas counties want to follow suit.
For years, Democratic lawmakers in Texas have unsuccessfully attempted to raise the rate above the federal minimum. With representatives recently filing a new bill, Texans are pushing to get the minimum wage up to $10 next year and, if successful, continue raising the wage until they reach $15 like other states.
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