SAN FRANCISCO – (INT) - The outcome of the November election raises questions about the potential impact of the next president and Congress on economic conditions—and their jobs and financial situations.

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that while financial markets are signaling optimism, many working Californians struggle with relatively low wages, given the state’s high cost of living.

A majority of Californians are expecting bad times for the state economy in the next 12 months. However, most residents are “somewhat” satisfied with their own finances, while almost half of lower-income residents are not.

One in three believe that the “American Dream” of working hard and getting ahead still holds true, while seven in ten say that children growing up in California today will be financially worse off than their parents.

When asked about the availability of well-paying jobs in their part of California, (27%) of Inland Empire residents say this is a big problem in their region.

Only one in three Californians think that the American Dream—the notion that if you work hard, you’ll get ahead—holds true.

Seventy percent in the Inland Empire think children today will be worse off financially than their parents.

Story Date: January 16, 2025