That depends not only on the type of business, but also on which actions Cape Codders may choose to take to help close the gap between living expenses and wage levels. Rising housing costs are becoming a major problem for local workers. Many of these jobs are filled by people who are not in the Cape's year-round labor force. For young people, retail and tourism positions are good entry-level jobs. Foreign seasonal workers find the wages acceptable, as these workers tend not to support a family here while they are working.
Many adults work in retail and tourism part time as second or supplemental jobs.
Yet a substantial number of people rely upon these jobs for their primary income or to support a family. These jobs can become a form of contingent work, where workers have no possibility of making a livable wage, long-term job expectations, or opportunities for advancement. The living wage gap depresses the standard of living of individual families, and also harms the community as a whole. A combination of low wages and high living costs, especially for housing, can make it untenable for needed workers to live on the Cape. The effects of the affordability crunch is already evident at resorts like Aspen, Colorado, and booming technology areas like the Silicon Valley in California.