Data
The numbers behind our bargaining.
All figures here come directly from the union compensation report (2026-05-27) and the VT JFO basic-needs budget. Nothing is extrapolated.
Headline figures
$2,803
Monthly basic needs in Vermont — single adult, shared housing (2024).
Source: VT JFO Basic Needs Budget via UNION-PDF
$21.06/hr
Hourly livable wage for 2026 — VT JFO base figure adjusted for the Consumer Price Index.
Source: UNION-PDF
$30,366.64
9-month salaried equivalent at $21.06/hr — the union's compensation target.
Source: UNION-PDF
+17.78%
Increase over current minimum stipends required to reach the 2026 CPI-adjusted livable wage.
Source: UNION-PDF
Supporting figures
$40,435.20
12-month salaried equivalent at $21.06/hr — the union's compensation target for year-round appointments.
Source: UNION-PDF
$33,631
Annual basic-needs expenses for a single adult in shared housing.
Source: VT JFO Basic Needs Budget via UNION-PDF
$40,614
Annual income required to cover those expenses plus federal and state taxes.
Source: VT JFO Basic Needs Budget via UNION-PDF
$19.53/hr
Hourly livable wage as published by VT JFO for 2024 — before CPI adjustment.
Source: VT JFO Basic Needs Budget via UNION-PDF
The floor
VT Basic Needs Budget — Single Person, Shared Housing
Required by Vermont statute (2 V.S.A. § 526). The full line-by-line breakdown.
2024 VT Basic Needs Budget — Single Person, Shared Housing (Urban)
VerifiedThe Vermont Joint Fiscal Office publishes a monthly basic-needs budget per Vermont statute (2 V.S.A. § 526). The line items below are what a single adult in shared housing needed each month in 2024 — before paying federal or state taxes. These are the 2024 figures and don't account for inflation since then.
| Category | Per month |
|---|---|
| Food | $481 |
| Housing | $968 |
| Transportation | $534 |
| Health Care | $223 |
| Dental Care | $4 |
| Child Care | $0 |
| Clothing and Household Expenses | $153 |
| Personal Care Products | $47 |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $152 |
| Telecommunications | $96 |
| Rental Insurance | $11 |
| Term Life Insurance | $0 |
| Savings | $133 |
| Total monthly expenses | $2,803 |
Annual expenses
$33,631
Federal & state taxes
$6,983
Annual income needed
$40,614
Hourly livable wage
$19.53/hr
VT Legislative Joint Fiscal Office, in accordance with 2 V.S.A. § 526
Help carry the message.
Email UVM administration with a pre-filled letter — the same figures, written out.