This document discusses the cost of living for families in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area and compares it to poverty guidelines and family-supporting wages. It finds that a high proportion of Iowa families, especially single parents, live on incomes below what is needed for basic needs. While education increases earnings and decreases poverty, many Iowans currently struggle to afford basic necessities even when working full time. Investing in postsecondary education generates tax revenues that offset program costs.