Nearly 1 in 3 North Bay households can’t afford basic needs, report finds

By Susan Wood

Nearly 30% of households across the North Bay don’t make enough to cover basic living expenses, according to a new report from United Ways of California.

The “2025 Real Cost Measure” found that things are even worse across the state: 35% of California households — about 3.8 million — fall below the threshold to meet essential needs. That’s more households than those in 21 U.S. states.

Certain groups are especially hard-hit. The study found that 72% of single mothers, 70% of noncitizens and 51% of Latino households don’t earn enough to pay for basics like housing, health care, child care, food and transportation.

In Marin County, 24% of households — or 20,662 — are struggling. A family needs an annual income of around $155,352 to make ends meet, according to the study.

In Napa County, 28% of households — about 11,190 — fall below that survival threshold. In Sonoma County, it’s 27%, representing roughly 43,505 households. Solano County showed the highest percentage in the region, with 34% — 42,009 households — unable to afford basic needs.

Ivonne Sonato-Vega, a medical assistant and married mother of five, lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Rosa.

“Even with two incomes, it’s hard to make it in California. It’s frustrating,” she said on a conference call arranged by United Ways.

Sonato-Vega said that after rent and bills, there’s nothing left — no savings, no extras. “Families like mine shouldn’t struggle so much,” she said.

She and her husband earn too much to qualify for assistance, but not enough to take their kids on outings or afford vacations.

Housing is the biggest expense for most struggling households. The report found that 40% of California families — about 4.5 million — spend at least 30% of their income on housing, a benchmark of affordability.

Pete Manzo, president and CEO of United Ways of California, said another challenge is the rise of what he called “episodic work” — inconsistent hours that make it hard to stay afloat.

“Many people have trouble getting 40 hours of work,” he said.

Manzo warned that artificial intelligence could worsen that trend by replacing some traditional job functions. “Maybe we’re in for some rough times,” he said.

Still, there were a few bright spots. Public assistance programs — including minimum wage hikes and tax credits for working families — have helped ease the burden in some cases.

But those programs could be in jeopardy, Manzo warned, as federal budget cuts loom.

“The study confirms what I expected — that a substantial number of people in our community struggle to make ends meet, and most are historically, the disadvantaged, who have been for generations,” said Lisa Carreño, president and CEO of United Way of the Wine Country.

She said policy shifts over the past decade, along with nonprofit and community efforts, have helped move the needle — slightly.

“It really does take a village,” she said.

The study shows that 54% of California households with children can’t meet basic needs — and for single mothers with children under 6, that figure jumps to 81%.

That’s still an improvement from a decade ago, when it was 84%.

Carreño and Oscar Chavez, executive director of the Community Foundation of Sonoma County, called that a small sign of progress. But neither was surprised by the study’s overall findings.

Chavez said he’s worried about how comfortable society has become with worsening conditions — especially as safety net programs are weakened or eliminated.

“These cuts are going to exacerbate what poor people are already struggling with,” he said.