The Demographics of the Low-Wage Workforce
A new report from the Brookings Institution explores the demographic diversity of the of the low-income workforce. 44 percent of all workers aged 18-64 were considered low-wage, with a median annual income of $17,950. The researchers segmented the low-wage worker population into nine distinct clusters based on age, education, and school enrollment to investigate the unique demographic makeup of each group. The largest group, representing 28 percent of low-wage workers, was comprised of individuals ages 25-50, with a high school diploma or less and was the most ethnically diverse cluster.