Who is ALICE?
ALICE, an acronym which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is a way of defining our families, neighbors, and colleagues (men and women) who work hard, earn above the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford the basics where they live.ALICE workers were celebrated as essential heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they do not earn enough to support their own families. 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.
ALICE, an acronym which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is a way of defining our families, neighbors, and colleagues (men and women) who work hard, earn above the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford the basics where they live.ALICE workers were celebrated as essential heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they do not earn enough to support their own families. 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.
Making Tough Choices ALICE Simulator-coming soon
2023 ALICE Resources
CORE REPORT STATISTICS
- By comparing real incomes with real expenses, United For ALICE reveals this stark reality: 34% of Wisconsin, 40% of Wood County, households are living on the edge of financial insecurity.
- In Wisconsin, 34% of households live below the ALICE threshold – about 11% live below the poverty level and another 23% are above poverty but below the basic cost of living. In Wood County, 40% of households live below the ALICE threshold – about 13% live below the poverty level and another 27% are above poverty but below the basic cost of living.
- ALICE households are working, but struggle to afford the basics of housing, food, health care, child care, and transportation.
- There are 567,854 ALICE households in Wisconsin (8646 in Wood County), more than double the official poverty rate (262,960).
- Together, with those in poverty, there are 835,287 households that struggle to make ends meet in Wisconsin.
- In Wisconsin between 2019 and 2021, the average annual ALICE Survival budget costs increased 16% for a single adult, 13% for a single senior, and 11% for a family of four.
Prior ALICE Resources