In 2024, California remains a land of plenty — for some. The state’s status as an economic power is indisputable; in addition to contributing far more than any other state to the nation’s gross domestic product, California on its own is firmly established as the world’s fifth-largest economy, something the governor’s office is happy to note.
For decades, though, California’s soaring cost of living, reflected especially in its runaway housing and health care costs, has put the squeeze on individuals and families trying to establish a toehold or build a better future.
