blog post Pandemic-Era CalFresh Expansions Lifted Many Families Out of Poverty By Patricia Malagon, Tess Thorman May 2, 2023 Policy changes made during COVID broadened access to food assistance and increased benefit levels. We examine the impact on California families’ financial well-being.
blog post Midway through California’s Extended Tax Season, Low-Income Filers Are Claiming Larger State Credits By Tess Thorman Apr 19, 2023 As of the end of March, the state had already refunded more dollars than in previous years to low-income tax filers through the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) and the Young Child Tax Credit.
blog post Most Californians Believe They Are Overtaxed by an Unfair System By Rachel Lawler Apr 18, 2023 As some Californians and most Americans prepare to file their annual returns, how do the state’s residents feel about the taxes they pay?
blog post Storms, Floods, and COVID-19 Have Worsened Long-standing Farmworker Housing Challenges By Paulette Cha Apr 12, 2023 High housing costs in California have long been a major challenge, especially for low-income residents. Recent crises have added to the housing woes facing California farmworkers.
blog post Declining Higher Education Enrollment Could Widen Inequality in California By Daniel Payares-Montoya, Tess Thorman, Joseph Herrera Mar 31, 2023 The gap between high and low incomes in California is wide and growing. Recent declines in college enrollment may make it harder for the state to address this economic divide.
blog post A Regional Look at California’s Latest Employment Trends By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan, Julien Lafortune Mar 30, 2023 While employment is higher than it was before the pandemic, California’s economy could face headwinds in the coming months. We look at how seven major regions are faring and discuss the factors driving job growth in different parts of the state.
Report The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville Mar 27, 2023 The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.
Explainer Is College Worth It? By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson Mar 8, 2023 Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.
blog post As the COVID Emergency Ends, a Look at the Pandemic’s Economic Impact By Sarah Bohn, Dean Bonner, Jenny Duan Feb 27, 2023 Looking back over the past three years, how did the economic challenges of the pandemic—and the state’s response—evolve? And what are Californians’ economic circumstances today?
blog post California’s African American Community By Eric McGhee Feb 22, 2023 The African American community in California has never been large, but it has been vital to our state’s political, economic, and cultural history. We look at how California’s African American population has changed over time and how it is faring.
