California’s IHSS Honor Roll (and Detention List) – Rating the Counties IHSS Programs
Yes, counties got graded. Some passed, some flunked, and a few barely squeaked by.
This isn’t a peer-reviewed study — it’s a caregiver’s reality check, based on real data and lived priorities: wages, fairness, and whether counties actually support the workforce that keeps people safe at home.
Scroll down to see where your county landed on the honor roll… or the detention list.
Superior Score
Marin County
B
Best Overall
Inferior Performance
Yuba County
D
Worst Overall
Alameda County
BOverall Grade
higher wages; solid PA support; big costs remain
BWages vs. Cost of Living
~84% of living wage ($20.50 vs. $24.37)
BCounty history of fair bartering
unions secured gains; steady increases
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory board, active support
CAvailable Training
orientation + limited extras
Alpine County
DOverall Grade
tiny program; wages far below costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~72% of living wage ($18.10 vs. $25.20)
DCounty history of fair bartering
follows state floor; no local leverage
DPublic Authority / County support
very limited; no public registry
FAvailable Training
orientation only
Amador County
DOverall Grade
low wages; minimal supports
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~74% of living wage ($18.10 vs. $24.50)
DCounty history of fair bartering
tracks state minimum; no meaningful raises
CPublic Authority / County support
registry exists; not very transparent
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Butte County
COverall Grade
baseline wages; solid but limited supports
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~78% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
tracked state increases; modest local movement
CPublic Authority / County support
registry + orientation; advisory presence
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring calendar
Calaveras County
DOverall Grade
lower wages; lean infrastructure
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~73% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
little evidence of enhancements above state floor
CPublic Authority / County support
basic registry/orientation; sparse transparency
DAvailable Training
no recurring public training
Colusa County
DOverall Grade
small program; wages lag local costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~74% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
mostly follows state minimum path
CPublic Authority / County support
orientation + registry; limited public KPIs
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Contra Costa County
BOverall Grade
relatively strong wages; solid PA support
BWages vs. Cost of Living
~83% of living wage
BCounty history of fair bartering
steady union progress; moderate gains
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory committee, clear ESP/EVV info
CAvailable Training
orientation + some optional workshops
Del Norte County
DOverall Grade
low wages; minimal support systems
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~72% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
follows state minimums; no local add-ons
CPublic Authority / County support
registry available; limited advisory presence
DAvailable Training
orientation only
El Dorado County
COverall Grade
midrange wages; modest support
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~77% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
occasional progress above floor; inconsistent
CPublic Authority / County support
registry + orientation; advisory activity limited
DAvailable Training
orientation; few if any ongoing classes
Fresno County
COverall Grade
large workforce; wages lag behind costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
slow but steady agreements; unions active
CPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory, EVV/ESP support present
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring local calendar
Glenn County
DOverall Grade
tiny program; wages well below costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~73% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
follows state minimums; no enhancements
CPublic Authority / County support
registry in place; limited public detail
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Humboldt County
COverall Grade
wages and supports midrange; costs rising
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~76% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
union agreements modest; occasional delays
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory, good EVV/ESP guidance
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no public calendar
Imperial County
DOverall Grade
low wages; limited bargaining power
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~72% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
minimal progress; stuck near state floor
CPublic Authority / County support
registry exists; advisory activity limited
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no public calendar
Inyo County
DOverall Grade
tiny program; high costs overwhelm wage
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~71% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
follows state minimum; no gains
CPublic Authority / County support
registry + orientation available
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Kern County
COverall Grade
large workforce; wages below high costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
occasional progress, still behind peers
CPublic Authority / County support
registry + advisory committee active
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring classes
Kings County
COverall Grade
steady but modest progress; basics in place
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~73% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
scheduled raises through 2025; successor talks underway
CPublic Authority / County support
online orientation; EVV/ESP resources; advisory meetings posted
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring public calendar
Lake County
COverall Grade
baseline wages; basic supports
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~79% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
tracked state floor; modest progress
CPublic Authority / County support
registry + orientation; limited KPIs
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring calendar
Lassen County
COverall Grade
small program; wages nearer to costs than peers
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~82–84% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
follows state minimum path; few enhancements
CPublic Authority / County support
registry present; minimal transparency
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Los Angeles County
BOverall Grade
large system; stronger supports; high costs
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~75–78% of living wage
BCounty history of fair bartering
consistent union gains; above-floor track record
BPublic Authority / County support
robust registry/advisory; clear ESP/EVV guidance
CAvailable Training
orientation + some workshops; not frequent
Madera County
COverall Grade
steady but modest; middle of the pack
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
basic wage path; limited breakthroughs
CPublic Authority / County support
registry + contact info; no posted KPIs
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring workshops
Marin County
BOverall Grade
wealthy county; fair wages; good supports
BWages vs. Cost of Living
~85% of living wage
BCounty history of fair bartering
track record of union raises above floor
BPublic Authority / County support
active registry; transparent advisory body
CAvailable Training
orientation + occasional offerings
Mariposa County
COverall Grade
small county; wages trail; minimal extras
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~71% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
keeps up with state minimum; few gains
DPublic Authority / County support
basic registry; limited advisory visibility
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no public training calendar
Mendocino County
COverall Grade
fair progress; rural challenges remain
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~72% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
occasional gains; not ahead of peers
CPublic Authority / County support
registry and board meetings posted
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no workshops
Merced County
DOverall Grade
slow wage growth; basic supports
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~68% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
lagging contracts; little movement
CPublic Authority / County support
registry active; limited transparency
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Modoc County
DOverall Grade
tiny county; wages and support minimal
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~65% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
keeps to state minimums; no raises
DPublic Authority / County support
bare-bones presence; little info online
FAvailable Training
no public training offered
Mono County
DOverall Grade
very small system; limited support
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~64% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
rare progress; mostly stagnant
DPublic Authority / County support
limited presence; registry available
FAvailable Training
no structured training listed
Monterey County
COverall Grade
average wages; modest support
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~75% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
some incremental improvements
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, orientation, advisory active
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no ongoing schedule
Napa County
COverall Grade
high costs; modest contract gains
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
some recent progress; still behind
BPublic Authority / County support
active advisory board; registry in place
DAvailable Training
no recurring public training calendar
Nevada County
COverall Grade
some gains; still below regional peers
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~71% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
contracts make progress, but slowly
BPublic Authority / County support
orientation and registry available
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no calendar
Orange County
COverall Grade
large system; wages trail living costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~69% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
steady but limited increases
BPublic Authority / County support
registry active; online resources clear
DAvailable Training
no recurring workshops
Placer County
COverall Grade
modest contracts; limited training
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
occasional raises; not proactive
CPublic Authority / County support
orientation and registry posted online
DAvailable Training
basic orientation only
Plumas County
DOverall Grade
tiny rural county; minimal progress
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~63% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
little change; stuck near minimums
DPublic Authority / County support
basic registry; limited info
FAvailable Training
no training opportunities listed
Riverside County
COverall Grade
large system; wages trail high costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~68% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
regular bargaining, but modest wins
BPublic Authority / County support
orientation, registry, advisory active
DAvailable Training
limited workshops; mostly orientation
Sacramento County
COverall Grade
capital county; wages behind living costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~69% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
steady contracts; not ahead of peers
BPublic Authority / County support
orientation, registry, and advisory board
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring trainings
San Benito County
DOverall Grade
small county; wages far behind costs
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~62% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
minimal raises; contracts slow
DPublic Authority / County support
registry exists; limited visibility
FAvailable Training
orientation only
San Bernardino County
COverall Grade
large system; wages trail behind
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~67% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
some contract improvements, modest pace
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, orientation, advisory active
DAvailable Training
no ongoing public trainings
San Diego County
BOverall Grade
better contracts; still wage gaps
CWages vs. Cost of Living
~77% of living wage
BCounty history of fair bartering
active union; multiple gains in contracts
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, orientation, and advisory board
CAvailable Training
orientation plus some limited trainings
San Francisco County
BOverall Grade
among the best contracts; still high costs
BWages vs. Cost of Living
~82% of living wage
ACounty history of fair bartering
consistent raises; strong union presence
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory, and public updates
CAvailable Training
orientation + occasional trainings
San Joaquin County
COverall Grade
steady contracts; wages lag behind
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
some contract progress; not strong
BPublic Authority / County support
registry and advisory active
DAvailable Training
orientation only
San Luis Obispo County
COverall Grade
costly area; modest wage progress
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~71% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
slow gains; contracts limited
BPublic Authority / County support
registry and advisory meetings listed
DAvailable Training
orientation only
San Mateo County
BOverall Grade
higher wages; cost of living still extreme
BWages vs. Cost of Living
~81% of living wage
BCounty history of fair bartering
steady union progress; reliable raises
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory, and training access
CAvailable Training
basic classes; not frequent
Santa Barbara County
DOverall Grade
very low wages vs. costs; county resistance
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~67% of living wage
FCounty history of fair bartering
resists wage progress; loopholes used
BPublic Authority / County support
helpful staff; guidance clear
FAvailable Training
no ongoing training calendar
Santa Clara County
BOverall Grade
tech-region wages higher; costs extreme
BWages vs. Cost of Living
~80% of living wage
ACounty history of fair bartering
proactive contracts; multiple raises
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, orientation, advisory active
CAvailable Training
occasional trainings, not consistent
Santa Cruz County
COverall Grade
wages modest; high living costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~72% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
contracts improve slowly
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, orientation, and advisory active
DAvailable Training
no recurring public training
Shasta County
DOverall Grade
low wages; modest county support
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~64% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
contracts minimal; wages stagnant
CPublic Authority / County support
orientation and registry available
FAvailable Training
no recurring trainings
Sierra County
DOverall Grade
smallest county; wages far below costs
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~62% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
contracts stagnant
DPublic Authority / County support
registry exists; limited visibility
FAvailable Training
no trainings offered
Siskiyou County
DOverall Grade
low wages; rural workforce challenges
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~63% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
rare raises; contracts minimal
CPublic Authority / County support
registry exists; limited resources
FAvailable Training
orientation only
Solano County
COverall Grade
steady contracts; still behind costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~71% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
incremental progress; not bold
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory active, online resources
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Sonoma County
COverall Grade
expensive area; contracts improved some
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~72% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
some gains; still behind peers
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory, clear resources
DAvailable Training
orientation; no recurring schedule
Stanislaus County
COverall Grade
steady contracts; wages behind living costs
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
incremental raises; not ahead of peers
BPublic Authority / County support
registry active; advisory board in place
DAvailable Training
orientation only
Sutter County
DOverall Grade
low wages; limited resources
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~64% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
contracts stagnant; few gains
DPublic Authority / County support
basic registry; little outreach
FAvailable Training
no trainings listed
Tehama County
DOverall Grade
poor wages; modest county supports
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~63% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
slow contract movement; little progress
CPublic Authority / County support
registry and advisory board present
FAvailable Training
no recurring training calendar
Trinity County
DOverall Grade
very small county; minimal progress
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~61% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
contracts stagnant; no recent gains
DPublic Authority / County support
registry listed; little other support
FAvailable Training
no trainings provided
Tulare County
DOverall Grade
low wages; basic county support
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~64% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
contracts slow; little improvement
CPublic Authority / County support
registry, advisory present
FAvailable Training
no recurring training calendar
Tuolumne County
DOverall Grade
wages behind; limited progress
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~65% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
rare contract gains
CPublic Authority / County support
registry posted; minimal outreach
FAvailable Training
no trainings offered
Ventura County
COverall Grade
regional wages modest; cost of living high
DWages vs. Cost of Living
~70% of living wage
CCounty history of fair bartering
some contracts gained; progress uneven
BPublic Authority / County support
registry, orientation, advisory active
DAvailable Training
orientation only; no schedule
Yolo County
DOverall Grade
college-town costs; wages lag behind
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~66% of living wage
DCounty history of fair bartering
limited contract progress
CPublic Authority / County support
registry and advisory board posted
FAvailable Training
orientation only; no recurring trainings
Yuba County
DOverall Grade
one of the weakest contracts; low wages
FWages vs. Cost of Living
~62% of living wage
FCounty history of fair bartering
very little progress over years
DPublic Authority / County support
registry exists; minimal outreach
FAvailable Training
no trainings listed
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About This Project
The Fine Print
These grades aren’t the product of a university study or a panel of experts. They’re built from solid data (MIT, CDSS, union contracts) — then filtered through a caregiver’s priorities: paying bills, keeping clients safe, and not drowning in red tape.
The scoring system isn’t peer-reviewed, but it is reality-checked. If you don’t like the grade your county got, take it up with your Board of Supervisors — not me, and definitely not MIT.
How Scoring Worked
- Wages vs. Cost of Living (50%) — because if we can’t pay rent or buy food, nothing else matters.
- County history of fair bartering (20%) — did supervisors and unions actually fight for us, or drag their feet?
- Public Authority / County support (20%) — how easy is it to navigate orientation, payroll, registries, advisory boards?
- Available Training (10%) — nice to have, but let’s be honest: without fair wages, training doesn’t pay the bills.
Research Sources (the big picture)
These grades were built from public, verifiable sources. Here are the main reference hubs we leaned on throughout the project.
Wages & Cost of Living
- MIT Living Wage Calculator — County index
- MIT Living Wage Calculator — California overview
- CDSS — County IHSS Wage Rates
- IHSS Advocate — Wages by County
- IHSS Law — IHSS Wage Lists
Bargaining, Unions & MOUs
Public Authority / County Operations
- CDSS — IHSS Program Info Hub
- IHSS Electronic Services Portal (ESP)
- CDSS — Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)
- County Websites Directory (CSAC)
Oversight, Audits & Background
- California State Auditor — Report 2020-109 (IHSS oversight benchmarks)
- California Department of Social Services (CDSS) — Main site
