Escondido features most county poverty outside of El Cajon, policy initiatives researchers say

CPI analyzes U.S. Census Bureau data from 2013 to determine poverty levels in Escondido..

CPI analyzes U.S. Census Bureau data from 2013 to determine poverty levels in Escondido. To see more of the report, visit http://www.onlinecpi.org/poverty2014.

Local non-profit research and advocacy group Center on Policy Initiatives this week found that Escondido’s poverty rate was just about the highest in San Diego county.

Only El Cajon’s 22.8 percent was barely higher than Escondido’s 21.6 percent overall rate. El Cajon had 28 percent poverty rate for children, Escondido? It was 28.5 percent.

Otherwise across the land, Vista had an 18.6 percent rate, San Marcos was at 17.2 percent. oceanside was 15.1 percent. As for children;  Vista had a 24 percent poverty rate, San Marcos was 19.8 percent, oceanside was 15.9 percent.

Carlsbad may seem like heaven when it comes to income. That city had a 4.6 percent poverty rate with a 4.2 percent rate for children. San Diego had a 15.7 percent rate with 20.4 percent for children. Chula Vista was 12.8 percent with 18.4 percent fir children.

“Five years after the national recession ended, the number of San Deigns living in official poverty has continued to grow,” Center researchers said.

“The problem is particularly dire for children and part-time workers…Among large local industries, hotels and restaurants continued to pay the lowest wages.”

Other findings included:

  • Working Poor: The data finds among those living in poverty in San Diego 62,656 were employed including 13,878 people working full-time. Among city residents older than age 16 living in poverty, 41 percent were employed full- or part-time.
  • Wages: Wages in many of the city’s largest industries remained flat three years after the recession ended, according to CPI, with the lowest earnings in the hotel and restaurant industry.
  • Median Income: San Diego’s median household income remained stagnated at about $63,000 for a third year in a row.
Scene from Grape Day Park.

Scene from Grape Day Park.

The full reports is posted here. For more information about the Center on Policy Initiatives and to see the report visit http://www.onlinecpi.org/