These Bellingham jobs pay $18-$33 per hour and are being filled with few requirements
Are you on a job hunt, looking for a position that actually pays enough for rent, groceries and other basic living costs?
The Bellingham Herald has searched the job website Indeed and local Craigslist listings to find positions with minimal requirements that are available as of Tuesday, Feb. 13, that advertise wages at or above living wages:
Customer service representative at Sierra Belleville State Farm
▪ $18 - $25 per hour
▪ Full-time
▪ Requirements: strong communication skills and proficiency in data entry
▪ $19.33 - $33 per hour
▪ Full-time
▪ No requirements listed
Line cook and dishwasher at Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse
▪ Starts at $18 per hour
▪ Full-time
▪ Requirements: 1 year of restaurant experience
Food service manager at Haggen
▪ $22 - $25 per hour
▪ Full-time
▪ Requirements: availability to work weekends, holidays and evenings, and the ability to stand for 8 hour shifts and lift 50 pounds.
What is a living wage in Whatcom County?
The local costs of groceries, housing and other necessities can quickly add up for Whatcom County residents. Last month, the average rent in Bellingham decreased, but housing prices increased across Whatcom County.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated the living wage by county by evaluating 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:
▪ Whatcom County’s living wage for an individual with no dependents is $17.47 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 $27.62 per hour.
▪ For a household with two adults, no children and both adults working, the living wage is $13.81 per hour.
▪ For a household with two adults, one child, and only one adult working, the living wage is $34.53 per hour. If this household had two children the living wage would be $39.51 an hour.
▪ For a household with two adults and two children and both adults working, the living wage is $25.98 per hour. If the family had three children, both individuals would need to make $32.10 per hour.
Although Washington state’s minimum wage was recently raised to $16.28 per hour, this amount is still not considered a living wage in Whatcom County unless you have multiple adults working in a household with no dependents.
This story was originally published February 13, 2024 at 11:20 AM.
