An Equity Profile of Orange County PolicyLink and PERE
5
Summary
While the nation is projected to become a people-of-color majority by the year
2044, Orange County reached that milestone in the early 2000s. For decades,
Orange County has outpaced the nation in its dramatic population growth and
demographic transformation—driven by growing Latino and Asian American
populations.
Orange County's diversity is a major asset to the global economy, but inequities
and disparities are holding the region back. Among the 150 largest regions,
Orange County is ranked 58
th
in terms of income inequality, ranking higher than
nearby San Diego metro area. While the working poverty rate in the region was
lower than the national average in 1980 and 1990, it grew at a faster rate
between 1990 and 2000 and is now on par with the national average. Racial
and gender wage gaps persist in the labor market. Closing these gaps in
economic opportunity and outcomes will be key to the region's future.
To build a more equitable Orange County, leaders in the private, public,
nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors must commit to putting all residents on
the path to economic security through equity-focused strategies and policies to
grow good jobs, remove barriers, and expand opportunities for the people and
places being left behind.
