The California Department of Housing and Community Development released<\/a> its 2026 state income limits, revealing that a single-person household in Orange County earning $104,200 or less per year now qualifies for low-income housing assistance. The updated threshold represents a significant jump from last year\u2019s cutoff of $94,750.<\/p>\n State officials use the annual report to determine eligibility for income-restricted apartments and local housing assistance programs. Because state metrics weigh income against local housing costs, skyrocketing real estate prices<\/a> have pushed Orange County’s low-income threshold higher than its actual median individual income.<\/p>\n CALIFORNIA GUARANTEED INCOME ADVOCACY GROUP RECOMMENDS PERMANENT POLICY FUNDED BY ‘DEDICATED LOCAL TAXES’<\/a><\/p>\n The California Department of Housing and Community Development released its 2026 state income limits, revealing that a single-person household in Orange County earning $104,200 or less per year now qualifies for low-income housing assistance.\u00a0 <\/p>\n The figures underscore an ongoing affordability crisis that has residents questioning their future in the region. A 2024 survey conducted by the University of California, Irvine found that 51%<\/a> of Orange County residents have considered relocating, with more than three-quarters of those potential “leavers” citing the crushing cost of housing as their primary motivator.<\/p>\n For many renters in the area, homeownership<\/a> seems out of reach. Data from the California Association of Realtors shows that just 18% of Orange County households earn the minimum annual income required to afford a median-priced home in the county, where the median price tags hover around $1.44 million. Statewide, homeownership remains a steep hurdle<\/a>, with just over half of Californians\u201455.3%\u2014owning their homes.<\/p>\n LA HOTELS HIT BY LARGEST JOB LOSSES IN A DECADE AS ‘OLYMPIC WAGE’ MANDATES BITE, DATA SHOWS<\/a><\/p>\n As housing costs and tax burdens remain high, California’s major metropolitan areas continue to see steady population declines. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n As housing costs and tax burdens remain high, California’s major metropolitan areas continue to see steady population declines<\/a>.<\/p>\n Neighboring Los Angeles County led the nation in population loss<\/a> last year. U.S. Census Bureau data released in March 2026 shows that between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, LA County lost 53,421 residents\u2014the largest numeric decline of any county in the United States. Since 2020, Los Angeles County\u2019s total population has shrunk from roughly 10 million to 9.7 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n CALIFORNIA \u2018BASIC INCOME\u2019 EXPERIMENT FAILS TO PROVIDE \u2018FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE,\u2019 STUDY FINDS<\/a><\/p>\n Further north, San Francisco’s population has similarly failed<\/a> to recover from its pandemic-era low. Despite a localized economic boom driven by the artificial intelligence sector, newly released Census estimates show the city\u2019s total population remains well below 2020 levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n U.S. Census Bureau data released in March 2026 shows that between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, LA County lost 53,421 residents\u2014the largest numeric decline of any county in the United States.\u00a0 (Kirby Lee\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Similar to Los Angeles, the Bay Area hub has spent the last several years plagued by skyrocketing costs of living<\/a>, rampant homelessness, and concerns over retail crime.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital<\/a> reached out to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for comment.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Kristen Altus contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Joshua Q. Nelson is a reporter for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n Joshua focuses on cultural trends, education<\/a>, and public policy. He extensively covered reparations developments across the U.S., the Department of Education, and immigration issues.<\/p>\n Joining Fox News Digital in 2019, he previously graduated from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and received the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Public Policy Certificate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Story tips can be sent to joshua.nelson@fox.com and Joshua can be followed on Twitter<\/a> and LinkedIn<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP20355091807460.jpg\")
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