ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology. These workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin, while keeping our local communities running.

ALICE households and households in poverty are forced to make tough choices, such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent — choices that have long-term consequences not only for their families, but for all.

For a growing number of U.S. households, financial stability is nothing more than a pipe dream, no matter how hard their members work. These households are ALICE – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – earning above the Federal Poverty Level yet struggling to afford basic expenses.

ALICE households:

• Span all races, ages, ethnicities, and abilities, though households of color are disproportionately ALICE

• Include workers whose wages cannot keep up with the rising cost of goods and services

• Often include those who are working two or more jobs and still cannot pay their bills

• Include family members who need care and assistance, which makes it harder for their caregivers to find adequate work

• Live paycheck to paycheck and are forced to make impossible choices: pay the rent or buy food, receive medical care or pay for child care, pay utility bills or put gas in the car

• Are part of every community nationwide

 

While the COVID-19 pandemic brought employment shifts, health struggles, and school/business closures, it also spurred temporary expansion of public assistance through pandemic relief measures (which then reverted to pre-pandemic levels in 2022). In 2019, 702,805 households in Oregon were below the ALICE Threshold; by 2022, that number had changed to 764,160. Use the buttons below to switch between ALICE data over time by number and percentage.

FOR MORE, VISIT THE OREGON OVERVIEW PAGE: https://www.unitedforalice.org/state-overview/Oregon

National Overview — 2022

United For ALICE calculates the cost of household essentials for all counties in the U.S. These costs, outlined in the Household Survival Budget, are calculated for various household sizes and compositions.

Of the 128,946,680 households in the U.S. in 2022…

• 13% earned below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)

• 29% were ALICE, in households that earned above the FPL but not enough to afford the basics in the communities where they live

• Together, 42% of households in the U.S. were below the ALICE Threshold (poverty + ALICE divided by total households)

While the COVID-19 pandemic brought employment shifts, health struggles, and school/business closures, it also spurred temporary expansion of public assistance through pandemic relief measures (which then reverted to pre-pandemic levels in 2022). Before the pandemic, in 2019, 49,791,793 households were below the ALICE Threshold; by 2022 that number had changed to 54,345,006 .

ARE YOU ALICE?

Across the U.S., over 40% of households are struggling to make ends meet. This includes households with income below the Federal Poverty Level, and households that are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).

With income above the Federal Poverty Level, ALICE households often earn too much to qualify for public assistance but are still unable to cover basic household expenses. The ALICE Income Status Tool calculates these expenses: housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology, plus taxes, and a contingency fund (miscellaneous) equal to 10% of the budget.

The Tool then compares ALICE Household Survival Budget costs to income, tailored by location and household composition, to determine if a household is Poverty-Level, ALICE, or Above the ALICE Threshold. To find out if you are ALICE where you live use the link below.

Click Here to Use ALICE Budget and Income Status Tool

 

 

ALICE Household Survival Budget Calculator

The ALICE Household Survival Budget estimates the minimum cost of household necessities (housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology) plus taxes, and a contingency fund (miscellaneous) equal to 10% of the budget.

Use this tool to view the ALICE Household Survival Budget in your County for additional household combinations, or to compare to counties in ALICE Partner States. Select up to 6 adults (including those under and over 65 years of age) and up to 6 children (under 18 years of age).

CLICK Here to USE the ALICE Household Survival Budget Calculator

 

Exploring the Impact of Wage Levels and Occupations on ALICE

In 2022, 42% of U.S. households were struggling to make ends meet. This includes households with income below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and households who are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). With income above the FPL, ALICE households earn too much to qualify as “poor” but are still unable to cover basic household expenses.

While cost of living varies considerably from one state, region, and county to another, a household’s ability to afford basic expenses also depends on how much they have an opportunity to earn. This tool provides insight into how different wage levels impact an ALICE household’s ability to afford a bare-bones budget.

The ALICE Wage Tool identifies the counties where a certain hourly wage can support the Household Survival Budget for a selected household type. For example, when selecting a wage of $9 per hour and a family of three (two workers, one child), the map shows that with two adults working full-time, year-round, $9 per hour cannot support basic household costs in any county in the U.S. At $14 per hour, two adults working full time, year-round can afford the Household Survival Budget in 53% of U.S. counties.