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
Fresno Bee, June 8, 2012: Fresno County after-school programs in jeopardy
"The California Department of Education denied grant applications from about 60% of Fresno County high schools wanting to continue or expand after-school programs. No school in Central Unified, Sanger Unified or Clovis Unified got new funding for the 21st Century programs, a federally funded program for high-poverty, low-performing schools."
The San Francisco Chronicle, May 23, 2012: High suspension, absentee rates make black Oakland males high dropout risks
"More than half the district's black males, 55 percent, had one or more of those red flags, according to the researchers at Urban Strategies Council, an Oakland-based nonprofit that focuses on improving conditions in low-income communities."
The San Francisco Chronicle, April 26, 2012: Free Muni for kids broached to transit panel
"Backers of the proposal to give free Muni passes to San Francisco kids have said for months that they expect to get money from the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission to help pay for the program, which was downsized to a free Muni for low-income youth plan last week."
The San Francisco Chronicle, April 19, 2012: (Editorial) Free Muni for kids - city can't afford it
"'The problem I have is that the argument of loss of service is not based on fact,' Campos said. 'We have identified specific funding that is meant for low-income youth, for gas emissions, and other factors that can be used for this.'"
The San Francisco Chronicle, April 16, 2012: Free Muni for kids could hit a few bumps
"Although approval is expected, the sticking point is whether the perk should be limited to low-income youths or be extended to everyone ages 5 to 17. Children under 5 already ride free.A well-organized contingent of students, parents and community activists, backed by the progressive flank of the Board of Supervisors and by the Board of Education, argues that free transit for all youths is about equity and would do more to promote the city's transit-first policy while grooming a new generation of transit riders. "
Sacramento Bee, April 16, 2012: Sacramento-area schools review racial imbalance of student suspensions
"So why are black and Latino students suspended more often than white students? The report, which analyzed U.S. Department of Education data, drew no conclusions. But Losen said he does not believe poverty is the reason. He said other studies have shown that the gap between the suspension rates of whites and minorities can be found at schools in communities of every income level."