Child poverty in California hit 18% for the three-year period from 2022 to 2024. That’s five points higher than the national average, according to a new analysis by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Researchers found the national child poverty rate almost tripled from 5% to 13% between 2021 and 2024, largely because Congress allowed pandemic-era financial supports for low-income families to expire.
Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the foundation, said a high concentration of poverty endangers a child’s safety, health and success in school.
“Those neighborhoods often have higher crime rates,” Boissiere pointed out. “Schools tend to have lower resources, and consequently, the academic achievement of the children tends to be lower. You also see significant stress on families, and that stress has a direct impact on the well-being of children.”
The 2024 numbers are much worse for children of color. Nationally, child poverty stands at 7% for white children, 21% for Latino kids, and 23% for Black children. Last July, the Republican funding bill did increase the maximum child tax credit by $200 per year, but it also made huge cuts to programs helping low-income families, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid.
Boissiere stressed wages and poverty-alleviating policies simply are not keeping up with costs, so policymakers need to look for solutions.
“Everyone has a role to play, including the business community and policymakers,” Boissiere emphasized. “Employers can pay wages that are sufficient for families to provide for their children, and policies can provide additional supports for families who earn the lowest wages.”
The report found that without current social support programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, SNAP and housing assistance, child poverty in California from 2022 to 2024 would have jumped to 29%, pushing 880,000 more Golden State children into poverty.
