Being poor is no fun -- but being poor is the official way of life for more than 6 million California residents.
Another 330,000 Californians fell below the official federal poverty line in 2011, meaning that 6.1 million residents of the Golden State are officially poor, according to Census statistics.
A family of four is considered offically "poor" if the household income is less than $22,811. Consider that, then consider prices and income levels, and one must consider that many, many more Californians may consider themselves poor.
Fresno is the poorest city in the state. There, 25.8 percent of all residents live below the poverty line, according to the San Jose Mercury News. In the Bay Area, 10.6 percent of South Bay residents are officially poor, the newspaper reported.
In San Diego County, the median household income in 2011 was $59,477 while the mean retirement income was $28,793.
Poverty rates for the county in 2011 were around 11 percent for all families and at nine percent for people 65 years and over according to the Census statistics.
So if you have a job making $22,812 or more and you have two kids, chin up -- at least you're not poor.
