Who are the poor?

Children

227,820 or 44% of Orange County children received free and reduced lunch during the 2009/10 school year – for many this meal might be their only nutritious meal of the day. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

The total number of Orange County students receiving free and reduced lunch increased 24% between 2000/01 school year and 2009/10 school year.  In the last year, 8% more Orange County children received free and reduced lunch. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

In Orange County, 177,650 children (23.4%) face food insecurity, with about 46% unlikely to qualify for federal nutrition programs.

1 in 5 Orange County children face food insecurity.

During 2009-2010 school year, 28,091 Orange County children were identified as homeless.

1 in 6 Orange County children are living in poverty.

21.2% of Orange County low income children ages 5-20 are obese and 18.5% are at risk for obesity in 2008. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

An estimated 10.9% (nearly 83,000) of Orange County Children lacked health care coverage. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

In 2008, 12,334 (2%) children were receiving Mental Health services. (Mental Health Services, The 14th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2008)

Every 2 hours, a child is born into poverty.[Orange County United Way]

Poverty and Health

30.4% of Orange County Households are unable to meet their basic needs, 90.9% of these households are working families.

Orange County has experienced a dramatic increase in unemployment, from 3.4% in 2006 to 9.6% this year.

In 2010, Orange County residents were earning less than a decade ago. With median household income down by 8% since 2007 in Orange County.

Locally, in Orange County, poverty has drastically increased during the ongoing economic crisis – from 8.9% in 2007 to 12.2% in 2010, with childhood poverty increasing from 12% to 16.4%.

1 in 6 Orange County residents are uninsured.

15.8% of all workers over the age of 16 earn below $25,000/year. 12.2% of individual residents in Orange County live below the federal poverty threshold. How much is enough? [Orange County, US Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 2010]

18% of Orange County residents lack health insurance. (Orange County, US Census Bureau 2010, American Community Survey 2010)

African Americans and Latinos experience a poverty rate significantly higher than Whites. Poverty rate for African Americans 10.5%. Poverty rate for Hispanic/Latinos 14.6%. Poverty rate for Whites 4.6%. (Orange County, US Census Bureau 2007 American Community Survey 2007)

For full-time year-round work, males earned $51,467 a year, whereas females earned $42,837. The overall gender gap in wages across all industries is 16%. (Orange County, US Census Bureau 2007 American Community Survey 2007)

In 2009/10, 25,964 Orange County students (mostly in grades K-12) were identified as living in one type of unstable housing conditions, a 15% increase over the past year. (Family Housing Security, Orange County Community Indicators 2010)

Orange County is estimated to lose 43,200 jobs this year and employment will continue to drop in 2010, but at a slower pace, according to a new report on the economy . (Orange County Poised to Lose 43,200 jobs in 2009, Orange County Register, February 24, 2009)

Poverty rates in Older Adults are increasing at about 3% each year, faster than the state and national rates of 1% each year. (Wellbeing of Older Adults, Orange County Community Indicators 2011)

44% of Orange County seniors do not have enough income to meet their basic needs.

38% of Orange County seniors, or 118,000, have too high of an income to qualify for many public programs, but too little to meet their basic needs.

8 out of 10 Latinos and 7 out of 10 Asian seniors are struggling to meet their basic needs.

In 2009, the median household income for older adults was $47,992 – compared to the County’s Median Household income of $71,865. (Wellbeing of Older Adults, Orange County Community Indicators 2011)

33% of older adults have a disability, compared to 5% of the non-senior adult population. (Wellbeing of Older Adults, Orange County Community Indicators 2011)

6.9% of Orange County Residents age 65 and over had incomes below the poverty line. (Wellbeing of Older Adults, Orange County Community Indicators 2009)

8.5% of Orange County seniors live below the federal poverty line and 84.2% of Orange County seniors live below 150% of the federal poverty line. (Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey)

34.9%% of Orange County Residents age 65 and over live alone. [Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey)

OC Housing Issues

During this school year, 28,091 Orange County children were identified as homeless.

An hourly wage of $25.52 is needed to afford a fair market rental for a one-bedroom apartment, or 130 hours a week for a minimum wage job.

56% of Orange County renters were unable to afford a fair market 2-bedroom apartment rental. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

In 2010, fair market rent was $1,336 for a 1-bedroom, $1,594 for a 2-bedroom and $2,256 for a 3-bedroom. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

For an existing single-family detached home in Orange County, the median sale price is $514,180, $200,000 more than the state’s median home price for a comparable home.  (Housing Affordability, Orange County Community Indicators 2011)

To purchase the median priced single family home in Orange County, the minimum household income needed is approximately $72,600. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

As of June 2010, RealtyTrac report that 22,039 Orange County homes were in foreclosure – about 1 in every 264 homes. Anaheim and Santa lead the cities in the number of foreclosure homes. (The 16th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County 2010)

46% of Orange County Residents cannot afford a existing home priced at 85% of median home value ($437,100). (Housing Affordability, Orange County Community Indicators 2011)

Orange County averages 4.4 students per computer, an average higher than the state of California. (Internet Access, Orange County Community Indicators 2009)

Latino’s have lowest rates of usage of computers and internet by 58% and 48% respectively. Computer usage has declined and internet has remained the same for Latinos.  (California’s Digital Divide, Public Policy Institute of California, June 2008)

1 in 8 Orange County residents face food insecurity, including 1 in 5 Orange County children.

Enrollment in Food Stamp programs in Orange County increased 37% in 2010, demonstrating the need for affordable and nutritious foods.

California, at 15.9%, is one of the states with the largest increase in food insecurity rates from before and after the recession. California was also the hardest hit by the collapse of the housing market and unemployment.

391,380, or 13.1%, of Orange County residents face food insecurity. Of those residents, about 41% are not qualified for SNAP or other governmental nutrition program

33.7% (211,000) of low-income households in Orange County experience hunger at least once a day. [Orange County Nutrition and Food Insecurity Profile, California Food Policy Advocates 2010]

Orange County is a racially and ethnically diverse region: 45% of the Orange County residents self-identify as Non-Hispanic white and 34% Hispanic and 17% Asian/Pacific Islander. (2012-2012 CAPOC Community Action Plan)

More than 30% of the people living in Orange County were foreign born. 45% speak a language other than English at home. Of these, 60% speak Spanish, 28% speak a Asian/Pacific Islander language and 12% speak a language other than English. 22% of the total population report that they do not speak English well. (2012-2012 CAPOC Community Action Plan)

12% of Orange County Asians and Pacific Islanders live below the federal poverty line. (2005 Asian& Pacific Islander Demographic Profile)

19% of Latinos live below the federal poverty level. (U.S. Census Bureau, Summary File 2 (SF 2) and Summary File 4 (SF 4)