More working Californians fell into poverty as pandemic aid expired, living costs soar

California’s poverty rate climbed in the first quarter of 2023, the latest quarter measured by the Public Policy Institute of California. Poverty increased from 11.7 percent in 2021 to 13.2 percent, the institute said, with 5 million people living in poverty.  

Safety net programs played a major role in recent shifts in the state’s poverty rate.