A single person making an income above $100,000 is now considered low-income in five counties in California, according to a report.
The distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. In 37% of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income.
The report by the California Department of Housing and Community Development came amid the state’s struggle with a shortage of affordable housing and rising inflation costs.
In 2020, not a single county considered a person making six figures to be low-income, according to SFGATE. Over the past five years, Santa Clara County saw its low-income figure jump to $33,150. The county has the highest low-income salary in California at $111,700.
California is the third most expensive state to live in, with the average resident spending 38.5% more on their cost of living than the national average.
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The state is facing a housing shortage of 1.8 million as it deals with restrictive zoning laws and high construction costs. High housing costs are a huge burden for residents, with half of constituents seeing more than 30% of their income go toward covering their rent or mortgage.
California residents have also seen some of the highest energy costs as the state pushes to reach zero-carbon emissions by 2045, prioritizing wind and solar energy as a result.
