Almost a quarter of Californians now live in poverty,
according to a new Supplemental Poverty Measure.
It looks at broader data including housing costs, child care
and medical expenses.
It also adjusts for income earned from federal assistance like
school lunch subsidies and the earned income tax credit.
Under the new measure, California's poverty rate increases
from 16.3 percent to 23.5 percent of the population.
Not only is that the highest in the nation, but the largest
jump from the official rate.
The increase is driven in part by California's high cost of
living.
Nationally the rate increased from 15 percent to 15.8
percent under the new measure.
The Census Bureau is testing the supplemental measure as a
replacement for the current system, which hasn't changed since the
early 1960's.
