A Snapshot of Poverty in Alameda County, California

 
Nonprofit executive Rose Padilla Johnson serves as the CEO of Davis Street Community Center, a $10.5-million agency serving low-income families around San Leandro and Alameda County, California. Rose Padilla Johnson has been working with low-income families in Alameda County for several decades and is passionate about supporting the community in and out of San Leandro.

According to 2019 estimates, Alameda County, California's population reached 1.67 million people. The largest group of people living in the county ranged in age from 18 years old to 65 years old and made an average of $92,574 a year between 2014 and 2018. Compared to 2010, the population size of the area grew by about 10.4 percent from 1.5 million people.

Despite this, the county also has a poverty rate of about nine percent. This is a decrease from 11.3 percent of residents who lived in poverty in 2017. At this time, women between the ages of 18 and 24 were the second-highest segment of individuals living in poverty, followed by men between 18 and 24 years old.

Further, most of the population living in poverty in Alameda County were white. While the county does have the Bay Area’s smallest population of white residents, they still make up the largest portion of Alameda County’s total population at 49.7. percent. Asian residents account for about 31.8 percent of the total population, followed by Hispanic residents and African American residents at 22 and 11 percent, respectively.

The Importance of the 2020 Census

For nearly three decades, Rose Padilla Johnson has directed the Davis Street Community Center, which serves more than 20,000 residents living in and around the San Leandro area. Rose Padilla Johnson has expanded the center’s mission by providing health services, hosting nutritional and parenting programs, and notifying San Leandro residents of job opportunities. The organization recently advertised positions for the 2020 census office.

As required by the Constitution, the United States government must collect demographic data every 10 years through an initiative known as the census. The 2020 census will mark the first time that Americans can provide information by phone or online. The census provides an accurate estimate of the country’s population to inform several important government functions.

Additionally, census data is used to appropriate House of Representatives seats based on population. This data also helps lawmakers define voting districts and allocate state and federal funding.

For example, locations with an increase in school-aged children may receive more funding for public schools over the next decade. In addition, the census will help federal agencies identify violations of demographic-specific acts, such as the Civil Rights Act.