What is the true cost of living for struggling households in California? What do we know about these households and the challenges they face everyday? What do their family configurations look like? How many are led by one or more working adults? The report tries to answer these questions and introduces the Real Cost Measure, a basic needs budget approach to better understand the challenges facing California households. A basic needs budget approach is intuitive and easy for most people to understand, as it is composed of things all families must address such as food, housing, transportation, childcare, out of pocket health expenses, and taxes.

The report uses the Elder Index calculated by researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the Insight Center for Community Economic Development to take an in-depth look at senior-led households and their financial struggles.  

Publication Authors:

• Betsy Baum Block
• et al