SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — A new economic report found that more than 10% of the San Diego population lives below the federal poverty line, including 86,000 children. The San Diego Economic Equity Report released on Wednesday analyzed the San Diego region's high cost of housing, food, utilities and transportation.
“San Diego is a beautiful, diverse region, but not all residents experience the same quality of life, and the sobering data revealed in our report confirms that,” said Mark Stuart, President and CEO of San Diego Foundation. “This report helps us better understand the needs of San Diegans to attract more resources for just, equitable and resilient communities.”
The report analyzed data from a variety of national and regional sources to zero in on the region’s greatest disparities, from housing and education to health care and life expectancy.
Included in the report:
Wages and Housing Affordability:
- Nearly 35% of San Diego County residents struggle to make self-sufficient wages.
- 38% spend more than the recommended maximum of 30% of their income on housing.
- Twice as many Latino/a San Diegans live below the self-sufficiency wage as their White neighbors.
Poverty:
- Approximately 335,000 San Diegans (11%), live below the federal poverty line ($24,860 or less annually for a family of four), including nearly 86,000 children – enough to fill PETCO Park twice.
- San Diego County’s total poverty figure surpasses the entire population of 93% of all other U.S. counties.
Higher Education and the Skilled Worker Gap:
- Latinos/as make up 42% of the population between 18 and 24 but comprise only 37% of people who have at least started college in that age group.
- While this is only a 5% difference, due to Latinos/as comprising the largest minority group in San Diego County it is equivalent to thousands who will not have the bachelor’s degrees needed to address the local skilled worker gap.
Health Equity:
- The average Black or Asian San Diegan is expected to live to 75, five years less than the average White San Diegan.
Immigration:
- San Diego County has the ninth highest immigrant population among U.S. counties; nearly 91,000 immigrants in San Diego County live in poverty – more than 4.5 times the population of Coronado.
“This past year, San Diego Foundation and its donors had record health and human service-oriented grantmaking to local nonprofits that address cost of living issues, like emergency food and shelter, youth and child development programs, and workforce training,” said Pamela Gray Payton, Chief Impact & Partnerships Officer at San Diego Foundation. “Our nonprofit partners are working hard to meet our region’s needs, but more government funding and philanthropic resources are needed to address the disparity and inequity throughout San Diego County.”
Read the full report here.
Find out more about the San Diego Foundation here.
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