Results of the New Study: One in Three California Households Struggle to Afford Basic Necessities
One in three households in California (34%, over 3.7 million) do not earn enough to afford the necessities required for a decent standard of living. This is roughly 2.5 times the proportion of households considered to be living in poverty under the federal poverty level.
Unlike the official poverty measure which primarily accounts for the cost of food, the Real Cost Measure factors the costs of housing, food, health care, child care, transportation and other basic needs to reveal what it really costs to live in California.
What Does It Cost a Santa Barbara County Household to Meet Basic Needs?
Henry Gascon, Director Programs & Policy, United Ways of California
Presenter Gascon will provide an overview of the statewide United Ways study “How Much it Costs to Struggle: The Real Cost Measure in California 2023” as well as specific statistics for Santa Barbara County.
Event will also include:
