California
State Government
Governor
Gavin Newsom (D)
State Senate
32
Democrats,
8
Republicans
State House
62
Democrats,
17
Republicans
Economic well-being - California
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
16.5
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
11.8%
Unemployment rate
5.5
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
5.9
Housing - California
Home foreclosure rate
1 in 3407
People experiencing homelessness
187,084.0
Households paying more than 50% of income on housing
1,633,600.0
Percent renters
0.4
Poverty by demographic - California
Child poverty rate
0.2
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
251000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
192000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
1981000
Senior poverty rate
12.0 %
Women in poverty
19,461,027
Record Searchlight, October 25, 2012: The power of soup: Fundraiser will help keep low-income seniors warm this winter
"Gourmet soups were served to the public Thursday at the annual Celebrity Soup Kitchen as part of a fundraiser to help low-income older adults pay their utility bills."
Sacramento Bee, October 19, 2012: Many older Californians rely on Social Security
"The two women represent a significant segment of the aging population: older adults scrimping by month to month, counting on Social Security as their safety net. One in five elderly Californians, and 46 percent of those who are single or widowed, rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income, according to Social Security Administration data. Even when bolstered by pensions and savings plans, Social Security makes up at least half of the income for 52 percent of older Californians."
The San Diego Union-Tribune, October 18, 2012: Students get first-hand advice from UC leaders
"University of California officials reached out to thousands of high school students across California on Thursday in a coordinated effort to provide hands-on guidance on financial aid, writing application essays and meeting other eligibility requirements. The goal of the Achieve UC initiative was to help students from low-income communities better understand how to prepare for higher education."
The Californian, October 12, 2012: More local schools meeting learning targets, report shows
"Three Monterey County public schools have joined an elite group of achievers after reaching a level of academic performance once viewed as out of reach for schools with high poverty rates, education officials said Thursday."
Orange County Register, October 12, 2012: 7 of 10 O.C. schools fail to hit federal standards
"Only schools that receive federal funding for low-income students, about 349 in Orange County, are subject to sanctions for not making adequate yearly progress. Locally, 261 schools face sanctions for missing testing goals, up from 178 last year. Sanctions include required tutoring, allowing parents to transfer students to better-performing schools, a change of principals and state takeover, depending on how many years a school misses targets."
Contra Costa Times, October 10, 2012: Meals on Wheels tries to meet growing demand
"For 54 years, Meals on Wheels has provided lunches to seniors in need. And, during these challenging economic times, the needs have grown. All of the routes are full with large waiting lists for seniors who need meals,' said Sharon Fitzgerald, program manager."