Orange County Register-

According to a study recently released by the United Ways of California, one in three households in California struggle to meet their basic needs each month. The report, titled “Struggling to Stay Afloat,” measures the estimated cost of supporting a family based on county-specific expenses across the state.

The Real Cost Measure, or RCM, uses a budget model that calculates the estimated basic needs cost for families of varying sizes, and compares the level of income needed to fully support a household from community to community. Housing, food, healthcare, transportation, childcare, taxes, and miscellaneous costs are included in the formula. Overall, the study found that 33 percent — or nearly 3.3 million California families – lack sufficient income to meet their basic costs of living.

In the Inland Empire, it’s worse. The report shows 36 percent of families are struggling to make ends meet, slightly higher than the state average. A total of 369,301 households in the region live below the RCM, according to the research. More specifically, more than 55 percent of families with children under age 6 struggle financially, and more than 70 percent of single mothers fall below the RCM.

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