In creating a methodology for estimating living wages across the U.S., we strove to align as closely as possible with the principles described in the global gold standard “Anker Methodology” developed by Richard Anker and Martha Anker. For US made adjustments for the U.S. context and does not claim to be using the Anker Methodology itself. Rather, we have created a living wage estimation methodology that will allow employers working with Anker Methodology estimates globally to apply the same general understanding of a living wage to their workers in the U.S. We would like to fully acknowledge the groundbreaking work of Richard Anker and Martha Anker, as well as the Global Living Wage Coalition in advancing an understanding of living wage that may be applied globally. You may access the full Anker Methodology in the published manual Living Wages Around the World: Manual for Measurement.

We have included here a brief description of how the methodology developed by For US to estimate living wages in the U.S.  was created in alignment with the Anker Methodology, as well as the areas of difference in our methodology as adjusted for the US context. Additional details on how we implemented this methodology in partnership with the Economic Policy Institute shall be forthcoming.