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What is considered ‘low-income' in Southern California? The numbers are higher than you think

The 2023 State Income Limits were released by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, showing what is considered low-income across the state's 58 counties.

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What to Know

  • The limits for what is considered low-income have increased in almost every county statewide.
  • Orange County is the most expensive of the SoCal counties, one-person households making less than $80,000 are considered low-income.
  • Bay Area counties had the highest limit with $104,000 being considered low-income.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development released new state income limits last month, and they’ve increased in nearly every county across the state.

Income limits are reported annually and are calculated based on federal guidelines, median income data, and household income levels. These limits are used to determine eligibility for public services like affordable housing programs.

View the chart below for a breakdown of what the low-income limit is across Southern California counties.

Orange County is the most expensive of the Southern California counties with one-person households making less than $80,000 a year being considered low-income. This is up from just under $76,000 last year, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

In the Bay Area, single-person households making $104,000 in San Francisco County, Marin County and San Mateo County are considered low-income, topping the list of what is considered low-income statewide.

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These income limits are also dependent on the number of people in each household.

For example, while a single-person household in LA County is considered low-income at about $70,000 a year, a four-person household has a limit around $100,000.

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