A person could do OK here as we are in a depressed area. Housing is not expensive like the rest of the state. At $15 an hour, which would work out to close to $2K a month take home (25% tax rate) one could even purchase a house in town, especially the fixer upper type. That's based on out mortgage payment from a late 2016 purchase, and I think the rates are similar.
Of course, a belt would need to be tightened regarding $4K sets of tires and wheels on the truck, beer drinking and hell raising, etc. But it could be done.
Drop that to $13/hr and it definitely means a roommate situation for someone starting out, and in the case of a family a part time job at least for a second earner.
Not sure what housing costs are in your area. 2 brm rentals in town are +/- $700-800. Some fixers go as low as $75K.
But we don't have any factories here any more. Used to be a wood moldings plant, and a lumber mill. Both shut now and the millwork place is a feed store now. Always talk of the lumber mill restarting.
They could use a plant to turn these dang junipers into pellet fuel, that would help. But every harvest plan on public land would have lawsuits filed no doubt.
