Holding a job is not enough to lift many Oregon families out of poverty, and the problem is getting worse,
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
For a growing number of Oregon families, holding down a job is not enough to lift them out of poverty.
Oregon is in last place nationally when it comes to the share of families qualifying for the federal Earned Income
Tomorrow’s Friday Forum at the City Club of Portland should be a great one, revolving around the club’s recently released
Of all working families nationwide, Oregon families are the least likely to claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Oregon is in last place nationally when it comes to the share of families qualifying for the federal Earned Income
More Oregonians are having a hard time putting food on the table. Among all states, Oregon recorded the second biggest
Despite half a decade of economic recovery, too many Oregonians still struggle to make ends meet.
Low- and middle-wage Oregon workers have seen their paychecks shrink in the economic upswing following the end of the Great
Oregon’s minimum wage would top $19 per hour if it had kept pace with the rise in worker productivity since
Latest Podcasts

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

How Trump Is Hiding Hunger and Why Poverty Persists
This episode examines what the end of the federal food security report means for Oregon, as well as why poverty is a policy failure, not an individual failure.
November 13, 2025
