Living Wage Narrative and Examples

This table contains data on the living wage and the percent of families with incomes below the living wage for California, its counties, regions and cities/towns. Living wage is the wage needed to cover basic family expenses (basic needs budget) plus all relevant taxes; it does not include publicly provided income or housing assistance. The percent of families below the living wage was calculated using data from the [Living Wage Calculator](http://livingwage.mit.edu/) and the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. The table is part of a series of indicators in the [Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/Pages/Healthy-Communities-Data-and-Indicators-Project-(HCI).aspx). The living wage is the wage or annual income that covers the cost of the bare necessities of life for a worker and his/her family. These necessities include housing, transportation, food, childcare, health care, and payment of taxes. Low income populations and non-white race/ethnic have disproportionately lower wages, poorer housing, and higher levels of food insecurity. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the About/Attachments section.