Region 9 Economic Development District released its Livable Wage Report in February. The report found that livable wage varies by geographic location. In Region 9, Montezuma County is the least expensive ($91,519 annually), and Archuleta County is the most expensive place to live ($105,919 annually) for a family of four.
Using housing costs specific to each community the report found that Pagosa Springs is the most expensive community in the region for a family of four ($25.08 per hour for each working adult) due to the high cost of housing. Cortez ($18.93) and Town of Dolores ($18.74) are the least expensive communities for a family of four.
Most employment sectors do not provide enough income to meet the basic needs of a family of four, especially if there is only one breadwinner in the household. Closing the wage gap between current wages and self-sufficiency wages require both reducing costs and raising incomes.
