Need a job? These Whatcom jobs pay a living wage and have minimal requirements
Finding a job with minimal requirements that pays enough for you and your family to live off of can be difficult.
When you factor in the rising costs of local grocery prices, housing, utilities and other necessities, jobs that pay a low wage cannot cover basic living expenses.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated the living wage by county in May 2022. MIT evaluated typical expenses to find how much an individual must make hourly to support themselves, or multiple children or dependents in a full-time job.
MIT records living wages for individuals, couples and families that vary based on the number of dependents, number of children and the number of adults who are working, according to previous reporting in The Bellingham Herald:
▪ Whatcom County’s living wage for an individual with no dependents is $16.95 per hour, working full time.
▪ For a household with two adults, no children, and only one individual working, a living wage in Whatcom County is $25.43 an hour.
▪ For a household with two adults, no children and both adults working, the living wage is $12.71 an hour.
▪ For a household with two adults, one child, and only one adult working, the living wage is $30.57 an hour. If this household had two children the living wage would be $35.89 an hour.
▪ For a household with two adults and two children and both adults working, the living wage is $23.54 an hour. If the family had three children, both individuals would need to make $28.80 an hour.
The Bellingham Herald has searched job website Indeed to find positions with minimal requirements that are available as of Thursday, Jan. 5 that advertise wages at or above living wages:
▪ Multiple cities in Whatcom County.
▪ Part-time or full-time.
▪ $19-$33 per hour, benefits available.
▪ No requirements listed.
▪ Acme, WA.
▪ Part-time or full-time.
▪ $18-$21 per hour.
▪ Requirements: prior restaurant experience and a Washington state food worker card.
Cook at Bonaventure Senior Living
▪ Bellingham, WA.
▪ Full-time.
▪ $18.75 per hour.
▪ No experience needed.
▪ Bellingham, WA.
▪ Full-time.
▪ $17.50 - $50.50 per hour plus tips.
▪ No experience is required, but must be able to lift up to 70 pounds and be comfortable with heights.
Door manufacturing at Lynden Door
▪ Lynden, WA
▪ Full-time.
▪ $20-$22.05 per hour.
▪ No experience necessary.
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
