The California Department of Housing and Community Development recently released its annual income limit report, which showed that the cost of living has increased in most counties.
The calculations, which are created using federal guidelines, are used to determine residents’ eligibility for things like affordable housing programs and other social welfare and government entitlements.
According to the report, a single person living in Orange County, California, making less than $80,000 a year is considered low-income.
The amount—which increased by $4,000 since last year—makes it the most expensive county in Southern California.
The average median single-household income in Orange County is just under $130,000 per year, according to the report, while a “moderate” single person’s income is considered around $107,000 per year.
By contrast, Los Angeles County’s low-income bracket for single residents lands around $70,000, with the area’s median income for that demographic at just under $100,000.
Overall, the median single-household income in California is $110,000, according to the report. As inflation continues to rise, California remains among the top three most expensive states to live in nationally, topped only by New York and Hawaii, according to various news reports, including CNBC.
