The Cost of Living

NPR talked with Shawn McMahon, who calculates individual and family budgets as the research director for the Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW), a group that works with low-income women and families.

According to the nonprofit group's Basic Economic Security Tables index, American families need to earn at least $68,000 a year to achieve basic economic security. As NPR points out, that's more than three times higher than the national poverty level. Plus, child care and transportation often top housing as the biggest household expense.

Here are some other tidbits pulled from the report:

"The large majority of US employers still offer health insurance to their full-time workers. However, a large minority of all US workers, 46%, don't or can't partici- pate in employer insurance plans. The average 2-adult, 2-child family which cannot or does not participate

in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan pays $224 more per month—$2,687 per year—more than those who do participate in employer health plans."

"The eight largest occupations among women are all traditional 'women's jobs.' Most pay low wages, and only 1 requires a bachelor's degree." (Click on image below to enlarge.)

Cancer Deaths Dropping Since 1990s, But Childhood Cancer Incidence Up Slightly

Cancer deaths have been dropping steadily since the early 1990s among both men and women. Childhood cancer incidence rates continued to increase slightly. Death rates in this age group (birth to age 19) continue to decrease.

Yes, this data looks outdated with the 2007 date; however, the CDC only recently released it in association with a forthcoming report:

Kohler BA, Ward E, McCarthy BJ, Schymura MJ, Ries LAG, Eheman C, Jemal A, Anderson RA, Ajani UA, Edwards BK. Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975–2007, featuring tumors of the brain and other nervous system. Journal of the National Cancer Institute May 4, 2011.

Source: Centers for Disease Control