Community Statistics

Poverty

One in five Californians lives in poverty. Under the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, which factors in the cost of living, 20.6% of Californians live in poverty, the highest percentage of any state in the country.

In Los Angeles County, 16.7% of the population lived in poverty in 2016. With a population of over 10 million, there are over 1 million persons who are considered poor.

Unemployment

According to State of California’s Employment Development Department, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.6% in Los Angeles County declined by 0.2% between January and February 2016. This is below the 7.5% rate from 2015. And in Ventura County, the most recent unemployment rate is calculated to be 5.3%, lower than Santa Barbara County’s rate of 5.6%.

Hunger

According to current Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s report, 1,400,000 people (16%) in Los Angeles County are affected by hunger. Hunger affects old and young alike. While fixed-income seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families are the most visible examples of people who struggle, hunger doesn’t stop there. Hunger affects all groups of people regardless of education level, employment status or ethnicity. Due to the soaring costs of both housing and transportation in Los Angeles County, many people who work, even families with two incomes, often cannot make ends meet or put enough healthy food on the table.

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