Economy - Public Policy Institute of California

Latest Publications

photo - Elementary School Students Wearing Masks and Returning to School

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education April 2021 Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas

Key findings from the current survey include: More than eight in ten Californians think K–12 students are falling behind academically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most…

Droughts in California April 2021Jeffrey Mount, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan Read in Spanish

Building California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System April 2021Jacob Jackson

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government March 2021Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas

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Blog

photo - Moving Boxes in Living Room of New Home

Who’s Leaving California—and Who’s Moving In? May 6 2021Hans Johnson

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Bay Area Recovery May Lag without Onsite Tech Workers April 30 2021Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune

Reading the Tea Leaves on the Governor’s Recall April 28 2021Mark Baldassare

photo - Farmers Market in Downtown Anaheim

Tourism and Logistics Shape Southern California’s Pandemic Economy April 28 2021Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune

Events

Smoke and flames of the Blue Ridge Fire engulf the hills above Yorba Linda, California, USA.

May 19, 2021 Preparing for the Next Wildfire Season

California lake with very low water from years of drought.

May 6, 2021 Is California Ready for Drought?

Event Video

Group of kids return to school during the pandemic.

April 29, 2021 Statewide Survey: Californians and Education

Event Video

April 6, 2021 A Conversation with US Senator Alex Padilla

Event Video

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PPIC Experts

Interactives

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Data Sets

Download Economy data from Data Depot

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Economy Chart: Unemployment is at a Long-Term Low in California

BY THE NUMBERS

Recent recessions have hit California hard, but job losses in 2020 were unprecedented

The California economy generally moves with the US economy, but tends to swing more widely in recessions. For example, unemployment rose more dramatically in California than in all but two other states during 2020.