Work — even full-time work — is no sure path out of poverty. Most poor families in Oregon are working
Raising Incomes
Realizing our human potential depends on having the resources to meet our material needs. Raising the incomes of the lowest-paid workers not only increases economic opportunity but also makes for a more prosperous state.
Raising Incomes
Realizing our human potential depends on having the resources to meet our material needs. Raising the incomes of the lowest-paid workers not only increases economic opportunity but also makes for a more prosperous state.
Latest Articles
Oregon recorded the sharpest increase in food insecurity of any state, even as nationally the share of families struggling to
Oregon families that fall on hard times get far less cash assistance today than they did decades ago. Children in
Some of Oregon’s poorest families with children are slated to be among the first victims of state budget cuts, should
Despite more than half a decade of economic growth, Oregonians were still more likely to live in poverty in 2015
Five years ago, protestors descended on Zuccotti Park near Wall Street, launching the Occupy movement.
Oregon’s poverty rate declined and the income of the typical Oregon household jumped last year, but not enough to return
“Welfare reform” turns 20 this month and that’s nothing to celebrate.
Confronting income inequality is perhaps the greatest challenge facing Oregon today.
Since 1980 and since the end of the Great Recession, income inequality has worsened, with the top 1 percent reaping
Latest Podcasts

Oregon Child Care Crisis: How ERDC Running Out of Funds Could Hurt 12,000 Families
Oregon’s subsidized child care program, Employment Related Day Care (ERDC), is on course to run out of money in less
February 12, 2026

Underpaid, Overworked, and Essential: Oregon’s Long-Term Care Crisis
In this episode, we examine the crisis in Oregon’s system of long-term care. Demand for long-term care is rising as
January 8, 2026

Income Inequality in Oregon: What Does the Latest Data Show?
Income inequality in Oregon remains vast, but history shows this is not inevitable.
December 11, 2025
