U-M’s economic forecasters analyzed Detroit’s living wage in comparison with “peer” cities. They found only 36% of Detroit residents earn a living wage, compared with 45% in Milwaukee, 48% in Cleveland and 60% in Chicago. Minneapolis has the highest share among cities, though still less than two-thirds of its primary earners make a living wage.  

Survey results suggest that many families are struggling with rising costs and food shortages. Sixty-five percent of Detroit households report spending more at the grocery store in the last month, while 71% of those who report not having enough to eat in the past week point to the prohibitively high cost of food as a cause of their insecurity.