While the technique has not been used, relative income figures could actually benefit California if a formula were to compensate for the higher cost of living in one state or area versus another. California's share of funding would likely rise were the bill to be enacted and implemented. BLS produces a CPI figure for the U.S. and for 29 major metropolitan areas. The CPI for the three California metro areas listed are above the national city average, thanks in large part to our high housing prices, and thus a state-level CPI, should one be produced, would likely show an above average CPI for the state. The Department of Labor calculates unemployment rates monthly.
Unemployment rates can fluctuate significantly from month to month.
Until May of 1996, California's rate had exceeded the national rate by at least 2 points nearly every month for three straight years. Two and a half years later, by late 1998, these fluctuations and the state-national discrepancy had declined substantially. California's population is much more concentrated in urban areas than the national average. California has a high proportion of school-age and younger children compared to the nation at large. This level ranked California 45th among the states.