The Numbers Are In, and Gavin Newsom Isn't Going to Like Where California Tied for First

California ties with Louisiana for the highest poverty rate in the U.S., impacting millions.

redstate.com

By Bob Hoge

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been fond of sending out lists on social media in recent months, tallies of where his state stands on a number of issues. The “fourth largest economy in the world,” “number one in manufacturing,” number one in farming,” and so on—all impressive numbers, to be sure.

What he’d like to avoid, however, is the fact that the Golden State is tied with Louisiana for another title: number one in poverty.

A new report released this week by the California Budget and Policy Center, a Sacramento-based think tank, found that 7 million California residents, or 17.7% of the population, lived in poverty last year.

California is tied with Louisiana for the title of highest poverty rate of any U.S. state in 2024, according to the think tank’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data…