Domestic Violence Costs California About $73 Billion Annually, Study Finds

The amount, which comprises mainly medical costs but also includes lost earnings, nearly matches what the state spends on K–12 education.

Women hold signs referencing action against domestic violence during the International Women's Day march in Sydney, Australia, on March 7, 2020. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

A new study has revealed the immense economic toll of domestic violence in California, highlighting billions of dollars in costs that significantly burden survivors and taxpayers throughout the state.

The study by Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California–San Diego found that domestic violence cost the state $73.7 billion in 2022. These costs—about $88,000 per victim—included health care payments, lost productivity and income, and expenses related to criminal justice and response programs, the report said.