The cost of raising a family
The cost to raise a family of four in the Imperial Valley is one of the lowest in California. According to a study released recently by the California Budget and Policy Center, parents must have a yearly income of $57,814 just to cover basic expenses — food, housing, health care, child care, taxes and utilities. This income translates into salaries of $4,818 a month from two working parents. Of those expenses, 17 percent would go to housing and utilities, 16 percent to food, 23 percent to child care, almost 11 percent in health care, 7 percent in transportation, about 10 percent in taxes and 13 percent in other expenses.
If only one parent works, this individual must have a yearly income of $44,919 or $3,743 per month. The reduced figure is due to the fact that these families spend nothing or less on child care.
However, a whole different story is written for single mothers, who must earn $48,713 a year or $4,059 per month, according to the study. Families in this scenario have to spend less in food, health care, transportation, taxes and other items; however, child care expenditures are the same as of those spent by two-working-parent families.
According to the center’s study, despite economic growth and a reduction in unemployment in the state in the last few years, many homes face significant burdens to cover their basic expenses. The center highlighted the safety net public programs’ positive impact in helping families make ends meet and that are now under potential risk from Republicans.
The good side of this story lies in the comparison of the cost of raising a local family and the state average. The center said California families must earn $75,952 a year to cover basic expenses. This translates into a full-time job with an hourly salary of $18.26. The figure climbs to $28.53 for families with only one bread-winner. Single mothers in the state have to earn $31.67 every 60 minutes to make ends meet.
In San Francisco and the whole Bay Area things are even worse. In the only city-county government in the state, families must earn $110,984 on a yearly basis to keep going — the largest in California. The other counties around the area require $92,000 per year.
On the contrary, Modoc County families need the lowest income in the state to cover their expenses.
The study underlines another fact: In all California counties minimum-wage, full-time working families are unable to pay their basic needs. The center said the estimates mean a modest way of living in every family case. This is why the organization emphasized the need to extend state programs like tax credits, food assistance and health care subsidies.
Imperial County is third-lowest in yearly income needed to support a family; however, for Latino and African-American families, it is especially hard to raise children and pay bills due to lower incomes.
The study proposes ways policymakers can help families to better afford basic expenses — boosting incomes through increasing the minimum wage, strengthening the California Earned Income Tax Credit and expanding other kinds of direct financial support, while reducing the cost of basic needs with an increase of child care and preschool programs, affordable housing and food assistance.
“The wrong policies can do real harm,” said the center’s Executive Director Chris Hoene. “The right policy choices can make a difference in advancing economic security.” Arturo Bojorquez is Adelante Valle Editor.