Chart: A majority of low-wage workers earn so little that they must rely on public assistance to make ends meet: Share of workers who receive public assistance directly or through a family member

Economic Snapshot

	Receive public assistance	Don’t receive public assistance
All workers	29.3%	70.7%
Low-wage workers (earning up to $12.16/hr)	53.1%	46.9%

Note: Low-wage workers are defined as the bottom 30% of wage earners, making $12.16 or less.

Source: David Cooper, Balancing paychecks and public assistance: How higher wages would strengthen what government can do

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