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Independent, objective, nonpartisan research
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Poverty & Inequality

About one in three 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.

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Jun 25
Virtual Event · June 25, 2026

Employment Before, During, and After Prison in California

photo - Parents Loading Groceries from Shopping Cart to the Back of the Car and Two Little Daughters Sitting in Shopping Cart Eating Bananas
Blog Post · June 17, 2026

What California’s Next Governor Needs to Know about the Social Safety Net

Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon

photo - Inmates on Break
Report · June 2026

Employment Before, During, and After Prison in California

Heather Harris

photo - Inmates on Break
Policy Brief · June 2026

Policy Brief: Employment Before, During, and After Prison in California

Heather Harris, Mary Severance

photo - Teenage Girl Talking to Male Therapist in School Library
Blog Post · June 10, 2026

Testimony: Teen Mental Health and School-based Support

Shalini Mustala

photo - Child Helping Parent with Shopping
Fact Sheet · May 2026

California’s Nutrition Safety Net

Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon

photo - Doctor Taking Patient's Blood Pressure in Exam Room
Blog Post · May 7, 2026

What California’s Next Governor Needs to Know about Health Care

Shannon McConville, Paulette Cha, Shalini Mustala

photo - Elementary Student Wearing a Backpack
Blog Post · May 5, 2026

Who Are California’s Homeless K–12 Students?

Brett Guinan

photo - Construction Workers Installing Panels while Building a Manufactured House
Explainer · April 2026

Understanding California’s Labor Market

Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Sean Cremin, Daniel Payares-Montoya

photo - California poppies with the American River below
Blog Post · April 27, 2026

What California’s Next Governor Needs to Know about Water

Letitia Grenier

photo - Box of Food at Foodbank
Fact Sheet · April 2026

Income Inequality in California

Tess Thorman, Daniel Payares-Montoya

photo - African-American Parents with Two Children Walking in Garden
Fact Sheet · April 2026

Wealth in California

Tess Thorman

photo - Gas Station Price Board at Sunrise in Rancho Cordova, California on March 25, 2026
Blog Post · April 22, 2026

Rising Gas Prices May Strain Family Finances in California

Daniel Payares-Montoya, Sarah Bohn

photo - Skyscrapers and Palm Trees in Downtown Los Angeles, California
Blog Post · April 13, 2026

What California’s Next Governor Needs to Know about the State’s Economy

Sarah Bohn

photo - Day of Graduation at University
Explainer · April 2026

Is College Worth It?

Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Charlie Wigul, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson

photo - Young Girl Receiving Flu Shot from Doctor
Blog Post · April 2, 2026

School Vaccination Rates Vary across California

Shalini Mustala, Shannon McConville

photo - Los Angeles at Night
Blog Post · March 26, 2026

A Strong Economy Is Not Easing Anxiety for Californians

Stephanie Barton

photo - Young Girl at Home on Computer Doing Homework
Fact Sheet · March 2026

California’s K–12 Test Scores

Iwunze Ugo, Eric Assan

photo - Family paying Bills at Home
Blog Post · March 18, 2026

Most Californians Expect Little Change to Their Finances Despite Economic Uncertainty

Deja Thomas, Sean Cremin, Sarah Bohn

photo - Person Holding a Stress Ball
Fact Sheet · March 2026

California’s Health Care Safety Net

Shannon McConville, Shalini Mustala

photo - Adult Hand Holding Infant Hand
Fact Sheet · March 2026

Public Health Insurance in California

Shalini Mustala, Paulette Cha

photo - Close up of therapy session with teenage girl
Blog Post · March 4, 2026

How California Is Investing in School-Based Mental Health Services for Teens

Chansonette Buck

photo - School Building and School Yard in the Evening
Blog Post · February 12, 2026

What’s Next for California’s School Funding Formula?

Vicki Hsieh

photo - Close up of therapy session with teenage girl
Report · January 2026

Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California

Shalini Mustala, Paulette Cha, Shannon McConville

photo - Close up of therapy session with teenage girl
Policy Brief · January 2026

Policy Brief: Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California

Shalini Mustala, Paulette Cha, Shannon McConville, Chansonette Buck

photo - Woman in Wheelchair Doing Home Finances
Blog Post · January 22, 2026

Why Do So Many California Workers Feel Economically Insecure?

Mary Severance

photo - Kindergarten Friends Playing Together
Fact Sheet · January 2026

California’s K–12 Students

Beyond Deng, Laura Hill

photo - Man Sitting on Couch and Seriously Looking at Bill while Holding Credit Card
Blog Post · January 15, 2026

Many Californians Are Paying More for Health Insurance from Covered California

Shannon McConville, Shalini Mustala

photo - Mother Carrying Baby and Basket while Shopping in Grocery Store
Blog Post · December 17, 2025

Testimony: Food Insecurity and the Nutrition Safety Net in California

Tess Thorman

photo - Rear View of Mother Holding Baby and Grocery Basket and Shopping in Supermarket
Blog Post · December 11, 2025

New Federal Rules Could Limit CalFresh Benefits for a Large Number of Adults

Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman

photo - School Building and School Yard in the Evening
Report · December 2025

Updating California’s School Funding Formula

Julien Lafortune, Iwunze Ugo, Brett Guinan

photo - School Building and School Yard in the Evening
Policy Brief · December 2025

Policy Brief: Updating California’s School Funding Formula

Julien Lafortune, Iwunze Ugo, Brett Guinan, Vicki Hsieh

photo - High School Senior in Red Graduation Cap and Gown
Blog Post · December 4, 2025

Rigorous High School Graduation Requirements Appear to Help Low-Income Students

Beyond Deng, Annabelle Kim, Iwunze Ugo

photo - Woman in Wheelchair Doing Home Finances
Report · December 2025

Work and Economic Insecurity in California

Sarah Bohn, Sean Cremin, Robert Santillano, Tess Thorman ...

photo - Woman in Wheelchair Doing Home Finances
Policy Brief · December 2025

Policy Brief: Work and Economic Insecurity in California

Sarah Bohn, Sean Cremin, Robert Santillano, Tess Thorman ...

photo - Welder
Blog Post · December 2, 2025

Californians’ Economic Outlook? Gloomy

Vicki Hsieh

photo - Welder
Statewide Survey · November 2025

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being

Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas

photo - Mother grocery shopping with child
Blog Post · November 13, 2025

How Food Assistance Delays Impacted California

Patricia Malagon

photo - Student Girl on Campus Is Sitting on the Stairs
Blog Post · October 30, 2025

New Policy Improves Student Access to College and Financial Aid

Vicki Hsieh

photo - Walking through Hallway in Blurred Motion
Blog Post · October 27, 2025

Statewide Initiative Aims to Integrate Career and College Readiness

Vicki Hsieh

photo - Woman Holding Receipt at Grocery Store
Blog Post · October 24, 2025

Testimony: Food Costs and Household Impacts

Caroline Danielson

photo - San Diego Skyline Reflects in San Diego Bay during an Early Morning Sunrise, pixel-ca-dwr-FL_San_Diego-8565
Blog Post · October 20, 2025

Keeping Water Affordable in California

Sarah Bardeen

photo - Student Girl on Campus Is Sitting on the Stairs
Report · October 2025

College Enrollment under California’s New Financial Aid Application Policy

Rachel Yang Zhou, Kevin Cook, Selina Gomez

photo - Student Girl on Campus Is Sitting on the Stairs
Policy Brief · October 2025

Policy Brief: College Enrollment under California’s New Financial Aid Application Policy

Rachel Yang Zhou, Kevin Cook, Selina Gomez, Vicki Hsieh

photo - Childcare Provider Sits with a Large Group of Babies as She Read Them a Book
Blog Post · October 15, 2025

How Expensive Is Child Care in California?

Patricia Malagon

photo - Walking through Hallway in Blurred Motion
Report · October 2025

Early Insights from the Golden State Pathways Program

Olga Rodriguez, Valerie Lundy-Wagner, Eric Assan, Selina Gomez

photo - Walking through Hallway in Blurred Motion
Policy Brief · October 2025

Policy Brief: Early Insights from the Golden State Pathways Program

Olga Rodriguez, Valerie Lundy-Wagner, Eric Assan, Selina Gomez ...

photo - Exterior of Apartment Buildings in California Suburb
Blog Post · October 1, 2025

Evictions in California Have Leveled Off, with Upticks in Some Counties

Vanessa Rodriguez, Shannon McConville, Sean Cremin

photo - Neighborhood Rooftops, Palm Trees, and Power Lines in San Bernadino, California
Blog Post · September 30, 2025

Californians Back Cap-and-Trade and Related Spending on Low-Income Communities

Lauren Mora

photo - Young Worker Wears Protective Gloves as She Retrieves Cleaning Supplies from the Supple Closet
Blog Post · September 23, 2025

Half of Students at California’s Public Colleges Work While in School

Iwunze Ugo

photo - School Teacher Preparing a Lesson before Students Arrive
Report · September 2025

Teacher Staffing Trends in California

Julien Lafortune, Iwunze Ugo, Brett Guinan

photo - School Teacher Preparing a Lesson before Students Arrive
Policy Brief · September 2025

Policy Brief: Teacher Staffing Trends in California

Julien Lafortune, Iwunze Ugo, Brett Guinan, Mary Severance

photo - Four College Graduates Smiling and Standing in a Row
Blog Post · September 4, 2025

New Data on College Completion Shows Room for Improvement

Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia

photo - Child Care Worker Interacts with a Group of Babies in a Playful Daycare Environment
Blog Post · August 20, 2025

Testimony: The Economic Toll of Child Care for Californians

Sarah Bohn

photo - Young Couple Reviewing Their Finances in Livingroom
Blog Post · August 12, 2025

Low-Income Households Struggle with the Cost of Electricity Bills

Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon, Paulette Cha

photo - Old Lady in Soup Kitchen Line
Fact Sheet · August 2025

Poverty in California

Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon ...

photo - Dishwasher Working in Restaurant Kitchen
Fact Sheet · August 2025

Poverty among California’s Workers

Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon ...

photo - Electric Power Line Along a Rural Highway in Bridgeport, California
Fact Sheet · July 2025

Digital Access in California

Joseph Hayes, Eric Assan

photo - Sad Teenage Girl with Backpack Sitting on Street
Blog Post · July 9, 2025

Exploring Record-High Student Homelessness

Brett Guinan, Julien Lafortune

photo - Parents Playing with Kids on the Beach
Blog Post · July 2, 2025

A Snapshot of Household Wealth in California

Lynette Ubois

photo - Teenage Boy on Laptop with Mother Looking over Shoulder
Blog Post · June 26, 2025

California Increases Financial Aid Application Rate

Kevin Cook, Rachel Yang Zhou, Selina Gomez

photo - Students Writing with Pencils in a Row in Classroom
Blog Post · June 25, 2025

California’s Changing School Demographics

Beyond Deng, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune

photo - Woman Carrying Her Baby and Clothes Shopping
Fact Sheet · June 2025

California’s Cash-Based Safety Net

Caroline Danielson

photo - Three Children Wearing Backpacks and Eating Apples
Blog Post · May 28, 2025

West Contra Costa’s Summer Meal Programs Provide Food and Community

Caroline Danielson, Mary Severance

photo - Close Up of Woman in Kitchen Reviewing Grocery Bill
Blog Post · May 21, 2025

Five Fast Facts on the Cost of Living in California

Stephanie Barton

photo - Parents Playing with Kids on the Beach
Report · May 2025

Assets, Debts, and Wealth in California

Tess Thorman, Shannon McConville

photo - Parents Playing with Kids on the Beach
Policy Brief · May 2025

Policy Brief: Assets, Debts, and Wealth in California

Tess Thorman, Shannon McConville, Lynette Ubois

photo - Doctor Sits across from Patient and Using a Stethoscope Listens to His Heart
Blog Post · April 8, 2025

Covered California Boasts Nearly 2 Million Enrollees, with Some Dreamers Now Eligible

Paulette Cha

photo - Close Up of Woman Paying Bill Online with Laptop and Credit Card
Blog Post · April 1, 2025

A Closer Look at California’s Surging Electricity Rates

Eric McGhee

photo - Family of Three with a Toddler Working on Home Budget Paying Bills in Living Room
Blog Post · March 26, 2025

Testimony: Cost Pressures and Affordability for Californians in Today’s Economy

Sarah Bohn

photo - Homeless Tent and Belongings on Sidewalk in San Francisco
Blog Post · March 25, 2025

Homelessness Hits Record High in California, Jumps Dramatically in Rest of US

Sean Cremin

photo - College Students Studying around a Cafeteria Table
Blog Post · March 20, 2025

Safety Net Programs Can Make College More Affordable for Low-Income Students

Mary Severance

photo - Daughter Hugs Mother Who Is Holding Bag Full of Vegetables
Blog Post · March 12, 2025

Testimony: A Snapshot of Food Insecurity in California

Tess Thorman

photo - Woman shopping for produce using reusable bag
Blog Post · March 10, 2025

Improving Safety Net Enrollment among California College Students

Cesar Alesi Perez, Patricia Malagon, Paulette Cha

photo - Senior Married Couple Going Surfing
Blog Post · February 20, 2025

Helping California Prepare for Dramatic Growth in its Older Adult Population

Mary Severance

photo - College Students Studying around a Cafeteria Table
Report · February 2025

Reducing College Costs for Low-Income Students

Patricia Malagon, Paulette Cha, Cesar Alesi Perez

photo - Grandmother Serving Food to her Granddaughters at Dining Room Table
Blog Post · January 29, 2025

Poverty Varies Widely across California’s Regions

Patricia Malagon

photo - Senior Married Couple Going Surfing
Report · January 2025

California’s Aging Population

Hans Johnson, Eric McGhee, Paulette Cha, Shannon McConville

photo - Senior Married Couple Going Surfing
Policy Brief · January 2025

Policy Brief: California’s Aging Population

Hans Johnson, Eric McGhee, Paulette Cha, Shannon McConville ...

photo - Woman Shopping for Clothes in Los Angeles
Blog Post · January 21, 2025

Six Fast Facts on Californians’ Economic Mood

Stephanie Barton, Mark Baldassare