California tops every state on rent, $2,036 a month, and ties for the highest jobless rate
Each state is shaded by how distressed its households are, from green (least) to red (most), with data through September 2026. California scores 78 out of 100.
Renters' costs are the highest part of the score: 29.0% of renter households paid half or more of their income for housing in 2024, the 3rd highest share in the nation. Household debt per person is the 3rd highest of any state, yet the share of Californians 90 or more days behind on a debt is below the nation's. Imperial County, on the Mexican border, had the highest unemployment rate of any U.S. county in August 2026, 21.9%. Lake County tops the state's distress list, and Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley, sits at the bottom.
- Score
- 78/100
- Data through
- September 2026
- Edition
- October 2026
Next edition expected March 2027
How California ranks among the states
Two things push California’s score up: one of the highest shares of renters paying half or more of their income for housing, and one of the highest unemployment rates. The surprise is debt: Californians owe the third most per person of the 50 states and D.C., yet a smaller share of them fall behind on payments than in the country as a whole.
What drives the score
Four equal parts make up the score, each scored 0 to 100 against the other states. California’s average of the four is higher than 78% of the other states’ averages, so its score is 78.
- Renters’ housing costs9729.0% of renters pay half or more of their income for housing (2024); this part hasn’t scored below 91 in any quarter since 2006
- Jobs945.1% unemployment, averaged over June to August 2026, against 4.1% for the U.S.
- Late payments4112.2% of card borrowers and 0.9% of mortgage borrowers are 90 or more days behind, both below the U.S. rates (early 2025)
- Collections and bankruptcy399.7% of people have a debt in collections (early 2025); 138.2 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents in 2025, below the U.S. rate
Beside its neighbors
California is more distressed than Oregon and less distressed than Arizona and Nevada.
State Distress Index score, 0 to 100. California’s median rent, $2,036 a month, is higher than Nevada’s ($1,597), Arizona’s ($1,543) or Oregon’s ($1,525). Oregon’s unemployment rate matched California’s in August 2026.
How its rank has changed
At its worst
2nd most distressed, every quarter from early 2010 to mid-2011, behind only Florida
By early 2025
10th most distressed, worse than 19th at the end of 2019
Why it climbed
Jobs: the jobs part of the score rose from 79 at the end of 2019 to 94 today, while renters’ costs stayed high throughout
California was the second most distressed state in the foreclosure crisis, eased to 22nd by 2018 and has climbed since 2020
State Distress Index score, 0 to 100, each quarter, third quarter of 2006 to first quarter of 2025.
Why is California so expensive to live in?
Housing, above all. California’s median rent is the highest of any state, and one of the highest shares of its renter households spend half or more of their income on rent and utilities (Census Bureau). Fewer homes are lived in by their owners than in almost any other state, and even owners are stretched. We don’t track the prices of food or other everyday goods.
Median rent, a month
$2,036
U.S. $1,413
Highest of the 50 states and D.C., 2020 to 2024
Renters paying half or more of income on housing
29.0%
U.S. 26.1%
3rd highest of the 50 states and D.C., 2024
Homes lived in by their owners
55.9%
U.S. 65.2%
3rd lowest of the 50 states and D.C., 2020 to 2024
A larger share of California renters pay half or more of their income for housing than renters nationwide, every year since 2005
Share of renter households spending half or more of their income on rent and utilities, California and the United States, each year from 2005 to 2024. There is no 2020 figure: the Census Bureau didn’t publish one.
Is $100,000 low income in California?
For a household, $100,000 is close to the middle: the typical California household earned $100,130 in 2024 (Census Bureau). It is well short of what MIT’s Living Wage Calculator estimates two working parents with two children need to cover basic costs in California, $151,355 a year before taxes. A single adult with no children needs $63,402, the 3rd highest of the 50 states and D.C. (2025 dollars). Official income limits for housing help are set county by county, so where a household lives changes the answer.
Homeowners are stretched too
| Measure | Calif. | U.S. | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeowners spending 30% or more of income on housing Highest | 31.1% U.S. 22.5% | 22.5% | Highest |
| Renters spending 30% or more of income on housing 3rd highest | 52.5% U.S. 47.6% | 47.6% | 3rd highest |
Ranks among the 50 states and D.C., highest first. Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020 to 2024.
What changed in California in the past year
-
Oct. 15, 2026
California’s backup home insurer raises its rates
The California FAIR Plan, which insures homes that can’t get private coverage, raised its rates an average of 29.1%, after asking for 35.8%. Some homes at high risk of wildfire may see their wildfire premiums double. The plan has more than 675,000 customers.
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June 2026
New work rules for CalFresh food help
Under the budget law Congress passed in July 2025, adults 18 to 64 without dependents who don’t meet the work rule or qualify for an exemption can now get CalFresh, California’s name for SNAP food benefits, for only three months in three years. The first cutoffs begin in October 2026. The Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget office, projects that 562,000 people are at risk of losing benefits, worth $544 million in the 2026-27 budget year. Stricter rules for noncitizens took effect in April 2026; the office projects they will cut off about 34,000 people.
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Jan. 1, 2026
Medi-Cal closes to new undocumented adults
California stopped enrolling new undocumented adults, 19 and older, in full Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid health coverage; people already enrolled can stay. Separately, total Medi-Cal enrollment fell by about 730,000, from 14.78 million in June 2025 to 14.05 million in March 2026, for several reasons, according to an analysis of state data by the California Health Care Foundation.
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Jan. 1, 2026
Larger federal health plan credits end
The larger federal tax credits for health plans expired after Dec. 31, 2025. New sign-ups at Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, fell 32%, from 345,711 to 235,055, the agency reported at the end of open enrollment. The state put $190 million into its own credits for its lowest-income members.
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Jan. 1, 2026
PG&E lowers its electric rates
Pacific Gas and Electric lowered its rates: the monthly bill for a typical home using 500 kilowatt-hours went from $219.72 to $208.68.
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Jan. 1, 2026
Minimum wage rises with inflation
California’s minimum wage rose to $16.90 an hour, a 2.49% increase set by the state’s yearly inflation adjustment.
CalChamber, citing the state Department of Finance’s certification
How is California’s economy doing?
Incomes are high, but jobs lag. In August 2026, California’s unemployment rate was tied with Connecticut’s and Oregon’s for the highest of any state; only D.C.’s was higher (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Income per person is among the highest in the country (Bureau of Economic Analysis).
Unemployment rate
5.1%
U.S. 4.1%
Tied for highest of any state, August 2026
Income per person
$86,232
U.S. $73,204
5th highest of the 50 states and D.C., 2024
Payroll jobs
18,177,200
138,500 more than a year earlier; August 2026, Employment Development Department
California’s unemployment rate has run above the nation’s every month since June 1990
Unemployment rate, California and the United States, each month, January 1990 to August 2026. No figures for October 2025, during the federal shutdown.
Why is California’s unemployment rate so high?
Hiring has been slow and uneven: jobs in tech and professional services are shrinking while education and health care grow. In the year to August 2026, education and health care added 131,500 jobs, while information jobs, such as publishing, broadcasting and software, fell by 22,600 and professional and business services by 15,500 (Employment Development Department, preliminary). The rate has eased, from 5.5% a year earlier. Over 2025 as a whole, payroll jobs fell even as the state’s output grew, forecasters at UCLA wrote in March.
“Normally, one would expect employment to grow in step with output and income; however, the opposite has occurred.”
The state rate also hides a wide spread. In Imperial, Tulare and Merced counties, unemployment runs two or more times the Bay Area’s (table).
| County | Rate |
|---|---|
| Imperial | 21.9% |
| Tulare | 10.4% |
| Merced | 8.9% |
| Kern | 8.4% |
| Fresno | 7.8% |
| Los Angeles | 4.9% |
| Orange | 4.4% |
| Santa Clara | 4.3% |
| San Francisco | 4.2% |
| San Mateo | 4.0% |
Unemployment rate in selected counties, August 2026, not adjusted for seasonal swings. Imperial’s rate is the highest of 3,143 U.S. counties; San Mateo’s is the lowest in California. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Are people leaving California?
California’s population has edged down, but only a little: from 39,527,808 in 2020 to 39,355,309 in 2025, down 0.4%, the 6th lowest of the 50 states and D.C. (Census Bureau). We don’t track where people move or why.
For the size of the state’s economy, its gross domestic product, see the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Unemployment benefit claims are filed with the Employment Development Department.
California’s poorest and most distressed counties
The poorest of California’s 58 counties is Trinity County, in the mountains of the far north: 23.0% of its residents lived in poverty in 2024. Its typical household earned $50,481, the least in the state (Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley, is the richest, with a typical household income of $166,984; San Mateo ($158,569) and Marin ($145,395) follow. On our County Distress Index, which scores every U.S. county on household financial distress, Lake County is the most distressed and Santa Clara the least.
California’s most distressed counties are in the Central Valley, the far north and Imperial County on the Mexican border; the least distressed are mostly around San Francisco Bay
County Distress Index score, 0 to 100, for California’s 58 counties, data through August 2026.
Loading the county map…
The county map could not be loaded. Every county is in the lists on this page.
Most distressed
| Rank | County | Score | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake | 93 | 19.7% |
| 2 | Imperial | 89 | 18.8% |
| 3 | Kern | 88 | 18.6% |
| 4 | Merced | 86 | 18.4% |
| 5 | Tehama | 85 | 18.2% |
| 6 | Tulare | 85 | 19.9% |
| 7 | Fresno | 83 | 18.2% |
| 8 | San Bernardino | 81 | 12.6% |
| 9 | Stanislaus | 81 | 14.2% |
| 10 | Madera | 81 | 17.7% |
Least distressed
| Rank | County | Score | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Marin | 19 | 9.9% |
| 55 | San Francisco | 15 | 11.3% |
| 56 | San Mateo | 14 | 7.2% |
| 57 | Santa Clara | 12 | 7.1% |
| 58 | Mono | 11 | 9.8% |
Rank in California, 1 = most distressed. Ranks come from unrounded scores, so counties showing the same score can rank differently. Poverty: share of residents in poverty, Census Bureau, 2024.
Every county, by score
Of California’s 58 counties, 11 score 80 or more, and together they hold 15.7% of Californians. Los Angeles County, the most populous, ranks 21st of 58, in the middle group.
11 score 80–100
Lake, Imperial, Kern, Merced, Tehama, Tulare, Fresno, San Bernardino, Stanislaus, Madera, Butte
15 score 50–69
Sutter, Los Angeles, Humboldt, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Mendocino, Solano, Modoc, Sacramento, Trinity, Monterey, Colusa, Mariposa, Lassen, Plumas
15 score 30–49
Santa Barbara, Sierra, Yolo, San Benito, San Diego, Ventura, Alpine, Amador, Nevada, Santa Cruz, Contra Costa, Orange, San Luis Obispo, El Dorado, Napa
9 score 0–29
Inyo, Sonoma, Alameda, Placer, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Mono
Poorest isn’t the same as most distressed
Poverty, income, health insurance and disability make up one of the five equal parts of our county score; the others are late payments, collections and bankruptcy, jobs, and housing costs. Trinity County is the poorest, yet it ranks 29th of 58 on distress, because few of its residents are behind on payments or have debts in collections. San Bernardino and Riverside counties, the Inland Empire east of Los Angeles, show the reverse: both have lower poverty rates than most California counties, yet they rank 8th and 18th most distressed. Housing costs and late payments score high in both.
Winter crops in the Imperial Valley. Imperial County’s farms produced $2.49 billion of agricultural products in 2024 (Southern California Association of Governments). From September 2025 to August 2026, its unemployment rate averaged 18.9%, the highest of any U.S. county; no figure was published for October 2025 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Southern California Association of Governments. Photo: JacobSA2019, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Why is California’s poverty rate so high?
By the official count, it isn’t: in 2024 a slightly smaller share of Californians lived in poverty than across the U.S. (Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, which takes account of local housing costs, taxes and government help, it is among the highest: from 2023 to 2025, only Louisiana’s rate was higher.
Residents in poverty, official measure
11.8%
U.S. 12.1%
Tied for 23rd highest of the 50 states and D.C., 2024
Residents in poverty, supplemental measure
17.8%
U.S. 13.0%
Second highest of the 50 states and D.C., after Louisiana (19.0%), average of 2023 to 2025
Median household income
$100,130
U.S. $81,604
7th highest of the 50 states and D.C., 2024
California’s official poverty rate has been below the nation’s every year since 2017
Share of residents in poverty, official measure, California and the United States, 1989 to 2024. The Census Bureau’s estimates skip some years before 1997.
Why the two poverty measures disagree
The official poverty line is the same everywhere in the country and counts income before taxes. The supplemental measure raises the line where housing costs more, subtracts taxes, work costs and medical bills, and adds help such as food benefits and tax credits (Census Bureau). California’s rent is the highest of any state (see why California is so expensive). Our State Distress Index points the same way: renters’ housing costs are the highest-scoring of the four parts of California’s score.
More Californians get food help than are officially poor
In June 2026, 13.0% of Californians got CalFresh, the state’s name for SNAP food benefits, more than the share counted as poor and above the U.S. share of 10.7% (U.S. Department of Agriculture). The number getting help fell 6.7% in a year. Stricter federal rules for noncitizens began in April 2026, and the first cutoffs under the new work rules begin in October (see what changed), so the drop may reflect the new rules rather than less need.
| Measure | Calif. | U.S. | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| People getting CalFresh, June 2026 | 5,111,720 | ||
| Children in poverty, 2024 25th highest | 14.6% U.S. 15.5% | 15.5% | 25th highest |
| Residents without health insurance, 2020 to 2024 29th highest | 6.6% U.S. 8.4% | 8.4% | 29th highest |
Ranks among the 50 states and D.C. (1 = highest). CalFresh: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Children in poverty: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. Health insurance: Census Bureau, American Community Survey. To apply for CalFresh or Medi-Cal: BenefitsCal →
Californians owe more than most but fall behind less often
Californians carried $87,850 of household debt per person with a credit report at the end of 2025, the 3rd highest of the 50 states and D.C., against $63,200 nationwide (Federal Reserve Bank of New York). Yet a smaller share of them are behind: in early 2025, 15.2% of Californians had a debt 90 or more days late, against 17.2% for the U.S. (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia). The national figure is our population-weighted average of the states. This is household debt, not state government debt.
Ranks among the 50 states and D.C., 1 = highest share: card 27th, collections tied for 36th, mortgage tied for 31st, auto tied for 26th. The U.S. figure is our population-weighted average of the states.
At the end of 2019, 12.4% of Californians had a debt in collections. Much of the drop since then came when the three credit bureaus stopped reporting many medical debts in 2022 and 2023 (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), so it mostly reflects what credit reports count, not fewer people struggling.
Other signs of strain
| Measure | Calif. | U.S. | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| People with a credit score under 620, early 2025 Tied for 30th highest | 11.4% U.S. 13.8% | 13.8% | Tied for 30th highest |
| Mortgages 30 to 89 days late, Sept. 2025 Tied for 46th highest | 1.0% U.S. 1.6% | 1.6% | Tied for 46th highest |
| Credit card debt per person with a credit report, end of 2025 8th highest | $5,000 U.S. $4,350 | $4,350 | 8th highest |
Credit scores: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Mortgages 30 to 89 days late, an early stage of falling behind: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Card debt: Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
A second measure: dollars behind
The New York Fed counts something different: the share of the money owed, not of people, that is 90 or more days late. On cards, California looks worse by this count: at the end of 2025 it had the 12th highest share of card balances that late of the 50 states and D.C., above the U.S. share (table). On mortgages it remains among the lowest.
| Loan type | Calif. | U.S. | Calif. 2019 | U.S. 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit card | 13.2% End of 2025 U.S. 12.4% Calif. 2019 8.7% · U.S. 2019 8.1% | 12.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| Auto loan | 4.8% End of 2025 U.S. 5.2% Calif. 2019 4.9% · U.S. 2019 4.9% | 5.2% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Mortgage | 0.6% End of 2025 U.S. 0.9% Calif. 2019 0.6% · U.S. 2019 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.0% |
Share of balances 90 or more days past due, end of 2025 and end of 2019. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. It counts dollars, not people, so it can’t be compared with the Philadelphia Fed figures above.
Bankruptcy
In 2025, 54,492 bankruptcy cases were filed in California, 138.2 for every 100,000 residents, the 28th highest rate of the 50 states and D.C. and below the U.S. rate of 167.1. Filings rose 14.4% from 2024 and have climbed each year since 2022’s 30,973, but remain below 2018’s 68,668 (U.S. Courts).
How foreclosure works in California
Most California foreclosures happen without a court. The process starts when a notice of default is recorded with the county. The homeowner then has at least three months to catch up. The sale can’t take place until at least three months and 20 days after that notice (California Civil Code 2924). Until five business days before the sale, a homeowner can still stop it by paying only what’s past due, plus fees and costs, not the whole loan (Civil Code 2924c). A loan modification permanently changes the loan’s terms. While a complete application is under review, the mortgage company can’t move ahead with foreclosure on a first mortgage for an owner-occupied home. This protection applies if the application arrived at least five business days before a scheduled sale (California Homeowner Bill of Rights, Civil Code 2923.6).
- Goes through a court
- Usually not
- Time to catch up after the notice of default
- 3 months
- Earliest sale after the notice of default
- 3 months, 20 days
- Stop the sale by paying only what’s past due
- Yes
- Sale paused while a complete loan modification application is reviewed
- Yes
- Lender can sue for the balance left after a sale without a court
- No
- Right to buy the home back after a sale without a court
- No
- Sale can be postponed to let the owner sell the home (since 2025)
- Yes
- Statewide foreclosure mediation
- No
What the law says. Sources: California Civil Code 2923.6, 2924, 2924c and 2924f; Code of Civil Procedure 580d, 725a and 726. How foreclosure works in California →
California’s share of the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund, run as the California Mortgage Relief Program, helped 31,933 households and has spent all of its $1.06 billion (U.S. Treasury, through early 2026). It no longer takes applications.
Mortgage complaints
Californians have sent 71,353 mortgage complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since 2012. The most common were about loan modification, collection or foreclosure (22,110), trouble during the payment process (14,316), and loan servicing, payments or escrow (11,133).
- Oct. 8, 2026 Longbridge Financial Trouble fixing a problem with the loan Closed with explanation
- Oct. 7, 2026 LoanCare Struggling to pay: trouble fixing a problem with a modification, forbearance or foreclosure Closed with explanation
- Oct. 6, 2026 Statebridge Company Struggling to pay: foreclosure In progress
- Oct. 5, 2026 CMG Financial Trouble fixing a problem with the loan Closed with explanation
- Oct. 5, 2026 Ocwen / Onity Group Payment process In progress
- Oct. 5, 2026 JPMorgan Chase Loan sold or transferred to another company Closed with explanation
- Oct. 5, 2026 M&T Bank Payment process Closed with explanation
- Oct. 2, 2026 Bank of America Fees charged In progress
- Oct. 2, 2026 Citizens Financial Struggling to pay: help with a modification, forbearance or foreclosure Closed with explanation
- Oct. 2, 2026 BMO Bank Escrow, taxes or insurance Closed with explanation
The ten most recent California complaints about paying a mortgage or getting help with one, not about getting a new loan, newest first, from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s public complaint record as of Oct. 14, 2026. Each is one person’s account, which the bureau doesn’t verify. See all California mortgage complaints at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau →
What to watch before the next edition
The first brings new figures for this page: state jobless rates.
-
Oct. 20 and Nov. 20, 2026
New state jobless rates
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes state unemployment rates for September on Oct. 20 and for October on Nov. 20. California’s rate was 5.1% in August.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Sept. 18, 2026 release; release schedule
-
Jan. 1, 2027
Minimum wage rises again
California’s minimum wage is set to rise to $17.40 an hour, from $16.90, after the Department of Finance certified the inflation adjustment.
California Department of Industrial Relations, Aug. 13, 2026
-
Jan. 1, 2027
Work rules for Medi-Cal
Under the federal budget law, adults 19 to 64 covered by Medi-Cal’s expansion to low-income adults must show 80 hours a month of work, school or service. The state health department estimated in May 2026 that 4.8 million enrollees fall in that group and that 1.1 million could lose coverage by the 2029-30 budget year. The California Health Care Foundation, a health policy research group, expects that number to rise once the state updates its estimate for federal guidance issued in June.
-
May 2027
A decision on PG&E’s rates for 2027
Pacific Gas and Electric has asked state regulators for $1.24 billion more in 2027 revenue, which it says would raise the combined gas and electric bill for a typical home about 3.6% compared with 2025. The California Public Utilities Commission expects to decide in May 2027.
Where California ranks highest and lowest
| Measure | Calif. | U.S. | Rank | Latest data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Distress Index score 12th highest · Aug. 2026 | 78 | 12th highest | Aug. 2026 | |
| Median rent Highest · 2024* | $2,036 U.S. $1,413 | $1,413 | Highest | 2024* |
| Homeowners spending 30%+ of income on housing Highest · 2024* | 31.1% U.S. 22.5% | 22.5% | Highest | 2024* |
| Adults without a high school diploma Highest · 2024* | 15.3% U.S. 10.4% | 10.4% | Highest | 2024* |
| Household debt per person with a credit report 3rd highest · End of 2025 | $87,850 U.S. $63,200 | $63,200 | 3rd highest | End of 2025 |
| Renters paying half or more of income on housing 3rd highest · 2024 | 29.0% U.S. 26.1% | 26.1% | 3rd highest | 2024 |
| Unemployment rate, three-month average Tied for 4th highest · June–August 2026 | 5.1% U.S. 4.1% | 4.1% | Tied for 4th highest | June–August 2026 |
| Income per person 5th highest · 2024 | $86,232 U.S. $73,204 | $73,204 | 5th highest | 2024 |
| Median household income 7th highest · 2024 | $100,130 U.S. $81,604 | $81,604 | 7th highest | 2024 |
| Residents getting SNAP (CalFresh) 10th highest · June 2026 | 13.0% U.S. 10.7% | 10.7% | 10th highest | June 2026 |
| Residents in poverty Tied for 23rd highest · 2024 | 11.8% U.S. 12.1% | 12.1% | Tied for 23rd highest | 2024 |
| Card borrowers 90+ days late 27th highest · Early 2025 | 12.2% U.S. 13.5% | 13.5% | 27th highest | Early 2025 |
| Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents 28th highest · 2025 | 138.2 U.S. 167.1 | 167.1 | 28th highest | 2025 |
| Population change since 2020 6th lowest · 2025 | −0.4% | 6th lowest | 2025 | |
| Homes lived in by their owners 3rd lowest · 2024* | 55.9% U.S. 65.2% | 65.2% | 3rd lowest | 2024* |
“Highest” and “lowest” mean among the 50 states and D.C. * Census five-year survey, 2020 to 2024. Sources for each measure are in Sources and method. Download this table: CSV.
Questions about California
Is $100,000 considered low income in California?
It’s close to the middle: the median California household earned $100,130 in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). But it falls short of the $151,355 a year before taxes that MIT’s Living Wage Calculator estimates two working parents with two children need in California (2025 dollars). Official income limits for housing programs are set county by county.
What is the most expensive state to live in?
We don’t measure prices, so we don’t rank overall living costs. California’s median rent, $2,036 a month, is the highest of any state (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024). MIT estimates a single adult needs $63,402 a year for basic costs, the 3rd highest of the 50 states and D.C.
Which state has the highest unemployment rate?
In August 2026, the District of Columbia had the highest rate, 5.7%. Among the states, California, Connecticut and Oregon were tied for the highest at 5.1%, against 4.1% for the U.S. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Which county has the highest unemployment rate in California?
Imperial County, on the Mexican border. Its rate was 21.9% in August 2026, not adjusted for seasonal swings, the highest of 3,143 U.S. counties; San Mateo County’s, 4.0%, was the lowest in California (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What is the poorest county in California?
Trinity County, in the far north. In 2024, 23.0% of its residents lived in poverty, and its typical household earned $50,481, both the worst in California (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It ranks 29th of 58 on our County Distress Index; Lake County is the most distressed.
What is the richest county in California?
Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley, where the typical household earned $166,984 in 2024, the most in the state (U.S. Census Bureau). It is also the least distressed of California’s 58 counties on our index. Placer County, northeast of Sacramento, has the lowest poverty rate, 6.8%.
Why are people leaving California?
We don’t track why people move. California’s population was 39,355,309 in 2025, down 0.4% from 39,527,808 in 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau).
What is the poverty line in California?
The federal poverty guideline, which decides who qualifies for many programs, is the same in California as in every state but Alaska and Hawaii. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets it each year: see this year’s figures.
Cite or reuse California’s data
For grant applications, policy memos and news stories.
State Distress Index
California
12thmost distressed state
of the 50 states and D.C.
More distressed than 78% of the other states and D.C.
California is the 12th most distressed of the 50 states and D.C. on the State Distress Index, American Default Research’s measure of household financial distress. Its median rent, $2,036 a month, is the highest of any state (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024). In August 2026, its unemployment rate of 5.1% was tied for the highest of any state, against 4.1% nationwide (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). By the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, which accounts for housing costs, 17.8% of Californians were poor on average from 2023 to 2025, the second highest rate after Louisiana.
Questions, interviews or a custom cut of the data: press@americandefault.org
Sources and method
We gather the data, run the numbers and research each state ourselves.
This edition: October 2026 · Next edition expected March 2027
- Late payments, collections, credit scoresFederal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Consumer Credit Explorerearly 2025 and end of 2019
- Household debt and dollars behindFederal Reserve Bank of New York, Consumer Credit Panel / Equifaxend of 2019 and end of 2025
- Mortgages 30 to 89 days late; mortgage complaintsConsumer Financial Protection Bureau: Mortgage Performance Trends; complaint databaseSept. 2025; Oct. 14, 2026
- Bankruptcy filingsAdministrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-22018 to 2025
- Unemployment, state, county and nationalU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment StatisticsJan. 1990 to Aug. 2026
- Payroll jobs and jobs by industryCalifornia Employment Development DepartmentAug. 2026
- Official poverty and incomeCensus Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates1989 to 2024
- Supplemental povertyCensus Bureau, Supplemental Poverty Measure, table 172023 to 2025, released Sept. 15, 2026
- Renters paying half or more of income on housingCensus Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-year2005 to 2024
- Rent, homeownership, housing costs, schooling, health insuranceCensus Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-year2020 to 2024
- PopulationCensus Bureau, population estimates2020 to 2025
- Income per personBureau of Economic Analysis2024
- CalFresh (SNAP)U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition AdministrationJune 2026
- Cost of getting byMIT Living Wage Calculator2025 dollars
- Imperial County agricultureSouthern California Association of Governments2024
- Jobs and output forecast quoteUCLA Anderson Forecast, via Spectrum NewsMar. 4, 2026
- Mortgage help fundU.S. Treasury, Homeowner Assistance Fundthrough early 2026
- Foreclosure lawCalifornia Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedureas of 2026
- Poverty guidelineU.S. Department of Health and Human Services2026
- Housing counselorsU.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentOctober 2026
- What changed and what to watchThe news and agency sources linked with each item (see what changed)Sept. 2025 to May 2027
The score has four equal parts: late payments; collections and bankruptcy; jobs; and renters’ housing costs. Each measure is ranked against the 50 states and D.C., and the score is the share of the other 50 that California is more distressed than. The full method →
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Thanks, that helps.