In Lincoln, Nebraska, the state's second most-populated city, the minimum wage is above the federal government rate of $7.25 hourly, sitting at $8 an hour for most employees.
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Employers with more than four employees must pay $8 hourly across the state of Nebraska,
according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. That number will rise to $9 hourly in 2016, according to state law.
Living wage for one adult in 2015, however, is put at $9.48 hourly, according
to data compiled by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, marking a $1.48 hourly gap. For those with one child, living wage rises to $20.96, while two children pushed that figure to $25.75 hourly.
Minimum wage is the lowest pay an employee can receive by law for performing a certain job. Living wage calculates what funds are needed for everyday needs, looking at factors like marriage, children, debt, and cost of living.
According to Forbes magazine, the median household income for Lincoln is $52,198, while the median home price sits at $142,600. Nearly 36 percent of city residents have college degrees. Forbes said the cost of living in the city is 8.8 percent below the national average.
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But
according to The Associated Press, citing U.S. Census data, 17 percent of Lincoln residents live below the poverty line.
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