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How Much is Enough in Your County? 2008 California Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Standard

The Insight Center for Community Economic Development just released the 2008 California Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Standard, and the report “How Much is Enough in Your County? The 2008 California Family Self-Sufficiency Standard (PDF).” The new Self-Sufficiency Standard shows that the cost of basic goods in every county has risen significantly over the past five years.

Despite recent increases in the California minimum wage from $6.75 to $8.00 an hour, the research shows that the minimum wage still is not enough to live on in any California county. In fact, a parent would have to work more than two full-time minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet in most California counties. Similarly, the report documents that the Federal Poverty Level covers less than half of what families actually need to cover their most basic costs in California.

The California Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Standard quantifies the costs of housing, food, child care, health care, transportation, taxes, and other basic needs for working families in every county of California. According to the Standard:
  • In Marin County, the highest cost county in the state, a family consisting of two adults, one preschooler, and a school-age child needs to earn $73,576 a year to meet their basic needs.
  • In Madera and Sierra Counties, two mid-range cost counties, the same family needs to earn $52,852 a year in Madera County and $52,925 a year in Sierra County to meet their basic needs.
  • In Kern County, the most affordable county in the state, the same family needs to earn $44,686 a year to meet their basic needs.

How much is enough in your county? Click here to find out.

Check Insight CCED for an announcement about an upcoming webinar on how you can use the new Self-Sufficiency Standard.
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