Work — even full-time work — is no sure path out of poverty. Most poor families in Oregon are working
Poverty & Inequality
Poverty & Inequality
Latest Articles
Oregon recorded the sharpest increase in food insecurity of any state, even as nationally the share of families struggling to
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.
Since 1980 and since the end of the Great Recession, income inequality has worsened, with the top 1 percent reaping
The economy has rarely been better, if you belong to Oregon’s richest of the rich. The latest figures show that
Holding a job is not enough to lift many Oregon families out of poverty, and the problem is getting worse,
For a growing number of Oregon families, holding down a job is not enough to lift them out of poverty.
Latest Podcasts

Oregon Child Care Crisis: How ERDC Running Out of Funds Could Hurt 12,000 Families
Listen to prior episodes of the show Follow Policy for the People on your favorite podcast app Transcript
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
