Could You Live Off of California’s Minimum Wage?
A new report from the California Budget Project brings to light an issue that has a profound effect on the health and well being of children — living off minimum wage in California may be next to impossible.
According to the report, a single parent family with two children needs an annual income of $64,239 – equivalent to an hourly wage of $30.88 for a 40-hour workweek – to provide the basics: child care, health coverage, food, rent, utilities, transportation, and other modest expenses.
Yet the minimum hourly wage of $8 per hour generates an annual income of $16,640 for a 40-hour workweek – less than half of what’s needed to get by, according to the report. The impact on child well being can be wide-ranging. Children living in poverty are more likely to go hungry, reside in overcrowded or unstable housing, be exposed to violence, and receive a poorer education. Poverty also exposes children to chronic stress, which can hinder their physical, social, and emotional development. Children in families with inadequate income may face more substantial health problems than those in families with enough to meet basic needs.
The report is worth a look. In addition to offering statewide numbers, it includes data for all counties in California.
Tags: Child Health Issues, Data Projects
Posted by kidsdata.org
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