TABLE 1—
Characteristics of Populations Residing in Localities Permitting Versus Banning Cannabis Businesses: California, 2020–2021
| Characteristic | Population Residing in Localities That Ban All Cannabis Businesses | Population Residing in Localities Allowing Cannabis Businesses | Average Difference Across Localities (95% CI) |
| Total population size, no. | |||
| Localities | 156 | 82 | . . . |
| People | 11 595 680 | 12 754 287 | 81 209 (4 677, 157 740) |
| Households | 3 699 248 | 4 307 589 | 28 818 (2 784, 54 853) |
| Demographic characteristics | |||
| Median age, y | 36.6 | 37.7 | −2.1 (−4.1, −0.2) |
| % women | 50.4 | 50.3 | −0.3 (−0.9, 0.2) |
| Race/ethnicity, %a | |||
| Asian | 14.6 | 12.2 | −6.5 (−10.5, −2.5) |
| Black | 4.4 | 6.9 | 1.5 (0.1, 2.9) |
| Latinx | 45.6 | 50.3 | 11.0 (3.9, 18.1) |
| White | 55.7 | 50.6 | −2.5 (−7.6, 2.5) |
| Population density (per 10 sq mi) | 9 933 | 16 619 | 1 528 (−132, 3 187) |
| Population mobility and household composition, % | |||
| Population change since 2000 | 9.2 | 11.4 | 5.2 (2.4, 7.9) |
| Renters | 34.6 | 47.3 | 10.4 (6.6, 14.2) |
| Family households | 77.1 | 68.6 | −5.3 (−8.3, −2.2) |
| Average household size | 3.2 | 3.1 | 0.0 (−0.1, 0.2) |
| Socioeconomic characteristics | |||
| Education, % | |||
| With a high school degree | 20.1 | 18.8 | 2.2 (0.6, 3.8) |
| With some college or associate degree | 30.4 | 26.2 | −1.8 (−3.7, 0.2) |
| With bachelor’s degree | 25.4 | 24.3 | −7.6 (−12.0, −3.3) |
| Poverty and income | |||
| % with income below 150% of poverty level | 24.3 | 34.2 | 9.8 (6.3, 13.3) |
| Median income, $ | 75 044 | 61 536 | −21 879 (−29 747, −14 011) |
| Unemployment rate, % | 4.8 | 5.3 | 1.0 (0.5, 1.4) |
| % crowded households | 26.5 | 40.7 | 7.2 (1.3, 13.2) |
| Density of general retail outlets (per 10 sq mi) | 1 377 | 1 698 | 4 658 (−1 326, 10 641) |
| Density of social organizations (per 10 sq mi) | 196.6 | 308.3 | 748.3 (7.2, 1 489.5) |
Note. CI = confidence interval. Results reported in this table are for the 238 jurisdictions with nonzero residential populations. The “Average difference across localities” column reports the difference between the average value of the population characteristic for jurisdictions allowing cannabis businesses and the average value of the population characteristic for jurisdictions banning cannabis businesses. Average differences were computed with linear regressions of the dichotomous bans variable on each population characteristic separately.
Racial/ethnic categories are not mutually exclusive. Asian, Black, and White racial groups include all people identifying as the corresponding race irrespective of Latinx identity. The Latinx group includes people identifying as Latinx irrespective of racial identity.