Community Statistics

Poverty

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (July 2023), roughly 12% of the state’s population lived in poverty. Data also showed that 13.9% of Los Angeles County’s population is below the poverty level. With a population of over 9.7 million, 1.3 million persons in the county are deemed poor.

Additionally, statistics show that one in ten working adults in the U.S. lives in homes that cannot afford enough food to feed their families. Inadequate funds for basic needs mean that the average worker cannot save money and any sudden expense or loss of income results in food and housing insecurity. Each year, hunger and homelessness affect the lives of millions of Americans.

Hunger

Millions of individuals and families living in America face hunger and food insecurity every day. Recent surveys with Los Angeles County residents participating in the Understanding America Study (UAS) show that food insecurity increased in 2023, with three in ten (30%) households experiencing food insecurity, a six (6) percentage-point increase from 2022. (Data from the Understanding America Study (UAS) report).

Feeding America states that 44 million people, including 13 million children, experience food insecurity, with 49 million people relying on food assistance from charities in 2022. Economic hardship and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated food insecurity throughout the country, especially in Los Angeles County.

Homelessness

According to the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA), there were an estimated 75,518 homeless persons in the Greater Los Angeles area in 2023.

Of the total homeless population, 73% (55,155) were unsheltered, residing in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, etc., and 27% (20,363) were sheltered, living in an emergency shelter, transitional housing or supportive housing.

Compared to 2022, there was a nine percent rise in homelessness in Los Angeles County and a ten percent rise specifically in the city of Los Angeles. Over 5,000 homeless persons in the Greater Los Angeles Area are 65+; over 6,000 homeless persons are under the age of 18.

Demographics of Population Served

by Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc.

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