The worst poverty in California? It's not where you might think.
Coastal Santa Cruz, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties have the highest levels of poverty according to a new report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
Unlike the federal poverty rate, PPIC takes into account cost of living, income and the value of social safety net programs when determining poverty rates.
The new report reveals that 19.4 percent of Californians -- 7.4 million people -- live in poverty.