Report Finds 40% Of Michiganders Struggle To Pay For Basic Needs

(Lansing, MI) – A new report from the Michigan League for Public Policy finds residents of the state are struggling. The Labor Day Snapshot says 40-percent of state residents are having issues paying for everyday basic needs. That’s despite the inflation-adjusted median wage in the state increasing slightly in 2025 from 23-dollars-61-cents to 23-dollars-69-cents an hour.

MLPP communications director Laura Ross says wage growth has lagged below inflation for several years and only recently started to outpace inflation.