More than a quarter of Californians live in or near poverty, and the longstanding divide between rich and poor poses a major challenge for our state and nation. PPIC builds understanding of what economic disparities mean for households and communities, while highlighting policies that can broaden opportunity and increase well-being.
Recent Content
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California’s Nutrition Safety Net
Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon
California’s Medi-Cal Expansion Is Lowering Poverty among Undocumented Immigrants
Patricia Malagon
Income Inequality in California
Tess Thorman, Daniel Payares-Montoya
Are California’s Foster Youth Claiming the State’s New Tax Credit?
Caroline Danielson
Are Eligible Undocumented Immigrants Claiming the CalEITC and Young Child Tax Credit?
Tess Thorman
As Internet Usage Grows, Californians Are Concerned about Online Security
Joseph Hayes
California’s Digital Divide
Joseph Hayes, Eric Assan, Niu Gao
An Update on Homelessness in California
Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez
Learning Recovery for Homeless Students Lags behind Other High-Need Groups
Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune
Testimony: Most Californians Are “Pretty Happy” but a Growing Share Are “Not Too Happy”
Mark Baldassare
California’s Economy—Past, Present, and Future
Sarah Bohn
California’s Renters
Eric McGhee, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Hans Johnson
Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas
Video: California’s Economic Future
Mary Severance
Testimony: California’s K–12 Digital Divide Has Narrowed, but Access Gaps Persist
Niu Gao
Chronic Absenteeism in K–12 Schools Remains Troublingly High
Emmanuel Prunty, Laura Hill
California’s Economic Future
Learning Recovery Is Uneven for Urban and Rural School Districts
Saayili Budhiraja, Thomas Pearson, Emmanuel Prunty, Niu Gao
Priorities for California’s Economy
Sarah Bohn, Vicki Hsieh, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ...
The Affordable Care Act Has Expanded Community Clinics in California
Shalini Mustala, Shannon McConville
Making Sense of California’s Economy
Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune, Vicki Hsieh
What’s in Store for California’s Economy?
Sarah Bohn
In First-in-Nation State Law, All Low-Income Residents Qualify for Medi-Cal
Paulette Cha, Patricia Malagon
2023 Year in Review
Tani Cantil-Sakauye
Video: Understanding the Reach of the California Earned Income Tax Credit
Mary Severance
Many California Renters Remain Financially Stressed
Hans Johnson, Eric McGhee
Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas
How Have California School Districts Used the Emergency Connectivity Fund?
Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao
Commentary: On California Funding Formula’s 10th Anniversary, Celebrate Progress but Double Down on Fairness
Julien Lafortune, Bruce Fuller
Most Californians Say Racial Bias Is Linked to Economic Inequality
Lauren Mora
Is the American Dream in California Dying?
Dean Bonner
Video: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being
Mary Severance
Understanding the Reach of the California Earned Income Tax Credit
Tess Thorman
Policy Brief: Understanding the Reach of the California Earned Income Tax Credit
Tess Thorman, Mary Severance
Video: Health Conditions and Health Care among California’s Undocumented Immigrants
Stephanie Barton
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being
Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas
A Look at Demographic Differences in Poverty across Regions in California
Patricia Malagon, Caroline Danielson
Poverty in California
Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon ...
The Working Poor in California
Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon ...
Telehealth Usage among Low-income and Undocumented Californians
Shalini Mustala, Paulette Cha, Patricia Malagon
School Vaccination Rates Vary across California
Shalini Mustala, Shannon McConville
Low-income and Undocumented Californians Struggle with Mental Health
Patricia Malagon, Paulette Cha, Shalini Mustala
Wage Growth Is Struggling to Keep Up with Inflation
Jenny Duan, Daniel Payares-Montoya
Did Pandemic Aid Narrow the Digital Divide?
Darriya Starr, Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao
Video: Funding Education in California
Stephanie Barton
Fostering Fairness in Flood Risk Management
Sarah Bardeen
After a Three-Year Hiatus, Californians Will Resume Student Loan Payments Soon
Jacob Jackson
Video: Bridging California’s Digital Divide
Vicki Hsieh
Federal Work Requirements Are Changing for Some CalFresh Participants
Tess Thorman, Caroline Danielson
Policy Brief: Tracking CalFresh Participation among Young Children
Tess Thorman
Video: A Conversation with Former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon
Mary Severance
Californians Hold Mixed Views on Their Personal Finances
Rachel Lawler
Student Achievement on California’s K–12 Assessments
Iwunze Ugo, Emmanuel Prunty
College Enrollment Is Holding Steady among First-time Students at UC and CSU
Hans Johnson, Jacob Jackson
Student Loan Debt in California
Jacob Jackson, Darriya Starr
Video: Californians and Their Government
Vicki Hsieh
Mounting Concerns about Safety Net Hospital Closures
Shannon McConville
Keeping Students Fed When School Is Out
Caroline Danielson
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas
Californians’ Racial Attitudes and the Reparations Task Force
Mark Baldassare
College Gender Gap Starts Early and Extends across Races
Hans Johnson, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Marisol Cuellar Mejia
Improving Lives through Public Policy
Tani Cantil-Sakauye
Financial Aid Applications for College Increase after New Law
Jacob Jackson
Pandemic-Era CalFresh Expansions Lifted Many Families Out of Poverty
Patricia Malagon, Tess Thorman
California’s Cash-Based Safety Net
Caroline Danielson
California’s Farmworkers and Their Children Are Vulnerable to Food Insecurity
Paulette Cha
Video: Achieving Universal Broadband in California
Vicki Hsieh
Midway through California’s Extended Tax Season, Low-Income Filers Are Claiming Larger State Credits
Tess Thorman
Storms, Floods, and COVID-19 Have Worsened Long-standing Farmworker Housing Challenges
Paulette Cha
As Medi-Cal Enters a Post-Pandemic Phase, Keeping Eligible Californians Enrolled Is a Key Concern
Caroline Danielson, Shannon McConville
Video: The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California
Mary Severance
Declining Higher Education Enrollment Could Widen Inequality in California
Daniel Payares-Montoya, Tess Thorman, Joseph Herrera
Achieving Universal Broadband in California
Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu
Policy Brief: Achieving Universal Broadband in California
Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu ...
The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California
Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville
Policy Brief: The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California
Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville, Mary Severance
California’s Leading Role in Providing Criminal Defense to the Poor
Heather Harris
Are Summer School Programs Reaching Students Who Need Them Most?
Darriya Starr, Niu Gao