▁impact ▁of ▁these ▁policies ▁because ▁it ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁isol ate ▁a ▁control ▁group ▁for ▁comparison . ▁A ▁notable ▁study ▁defined ▁the ▁control ▁group ▁as ▁the ▁subset ▁of ▁cities ▁that ▁attempted ▁to ▁pass ▁a ▁living ▁w age ▁law ▁but ▁were ▁un success ful . ▁This ▁comparison ▁indicates ▁that ▁living ▁w ages ▁raise ▁the ▁average ▁w age ▁level ▁in ▁cities , ▁however , ▁it ▁reduces ▁the ▁lik elihood ▁of ▁employ ment ▁for ▁individuals ▁in ▁the ▁bottom ▁percent ile ▁of ▁w age ▁distribution . ▁ ▁Imp act ▁Research ▁shows ▁that ▁minimum ▁w age ▁laws ▁and ▁living ▁w age ▁legisl ation ▁impact ▁pover ty ▁differently : ▁evidence ▁demonstr ates ▁that ▁living ▁w age ▁legisl ation ▁reduces ▁pover ty . ▁The ▁parties ▁impact ed ▁by ▁minimum ▁w age ▁laws ▁and ▁living ▁w age ▁laws ▁differ ▁as ▁living ▁w age ▁legisl ation ▁generally ▁applies ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁limited ▁sector ▁of ▁the ▁population . ▁It ▁is ▁estimated ▁that ▁workers ▁who ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁living ▁w age ▁legisl ation ▁are ▁currently ▁between ▁ 1 - 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁bottom ▁quart ile ▁of ▁w age ▁distribution . Real ▁life ▁imp lications ▁to ▁living ▁w age ▁legisl ation ▁is ▁important ▁to ▁address . ▁R ais ing ▁w ages ▁can ▁decrease ▁job ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁low ▁w age ▁workers ▁as ▁it ▁cut s ▁costs ▁for ▁profit ▁seeking ▁organizations ▁and ▁companies . ▁The ▁pool ▁gets ▁smaller ▁despite ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁w age ▁rates . ▁ ▁Ne um ark ▁and ▁Adams , ▁in ▁their ▁paper , ▁" Do ▁living ▁w age ▁ordin ances