Profiles of Young Adults in California

• How many young adults in your area are living in poverty? 

• How many are making a living wage?

• How does the unemployment rate of young people in your county compare to the state or national average?

• Are youth in your congressional district pursuing postsecondary education on par with their counterparts across California? 

The PATHWAYS to Postsecondary Success Profiles of Young Adults site presents descriptive data that can help answer these and other questions about California’s young adult population. To be of maximum use to policymakers, government agencies, schools, businesses, and community members, we have made these data accessible in two ways—by county and by legislative district. 

After selecting a county or district, you will be able to compare the demographics of 18- to 26-year-olds who live in a specific part of the state to those in California or (in the county profiles) to the United States more broadly. Our goal in providing this information is to encourage dialogue about the challenges facing our state’s youth, and about how best to support their transitions into productive adults who contribute to the civic and economic well-being of their local communities.

Findings in the PATHWAYS Profiles are drawn from databases made available by public agencies. Specifically, we draw from the 2011 American Community Survey (conducted by the United States Census Bureau), and from 2010 California Postsecondary Education Commission data on public college and university enrollment. 

These Profiles of Young Adults are part of the PATHWAYS to Postsecondary Success project. Under the auspices of the University of California's All Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity (UC/ACCORD), and with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the PATHWAYS project aims to advance research on poverty, produce useful tools that improve educational practice, and inform the U.S. policy agenda on the relationship between poverty and education.