EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV)-- One in three children in El Cajon live below the federal poverty level, according to a report released Thursday by the Center on Policy Initiatives.
The study, Poverty and Income in East San Diego County, is the center's first to focus on poverty and earnings in East County.
Children were particularly likely to live in households with below-poverty incomes, especially El Cajon and Lemon Grove.
The report notes that East County contains a mix of high poverty in cities and rural areas, and higher incomes in suburbs located in the middle of the region.
"We found that nearly one in five children in East County are living below the federal poverty line," said CPI research director Peter Brownell. "In the city of El Cajon, it's one in three. These children are facing lifelong impacts in education, health and earnings."
Other findings include:
- 1 in 7 people (14.1%) in East San Diego County live in poverty
- 60% have incomes too low to afford the average apartment rent
- Lowest incomes found in El Cajon
- El Cajon's poverty rate is the highest in the region at 24.2%
- El Cajon's poverty rate is also the highest of all large cities in San Diego County
Analysis came from U.S. Census Bureau data of 2015's five-year American Communities Studies.
Sandy Coronilla is a KGTV digital producer. Follow her @10NewsSandy
