United Ways of the Pacific Northwest Study of Financial Hardship - ALICE

ALICE, a United Way acronym which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, represents the growing number of individuals and families who are working, but are unable to afford the basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care, and transportation. ALICE may be your relative, friend, colleague, or neighbor, or you might be ALICE. ALICE may also be your health care provider, teacher, retail clerk, sanitation worker, and others. ALICE workers are the backbone of our economy, with the pandemic making it crystal clear just how much we need them.

Through a series of standardized measurements, United Way is quantifying the households in each state that are struggling financially, and the reasons why. These measurements provide a broader picture of financial insecurity than traditional federal poverty guidelines. This is the fourth time that we have studied and reported on ALICE in the Pacific Northwest.

The COVID-19 pandemic, a global health and economic crisis, upended life as we knew it three years ago. It claimed the lives of millions and unleashed a storm of competing economic forces – a phenomenon rarely seen. These included job disruption, inflation, wage increases, pandemic assistance, and migration.

For the ALICE in the Crosscurrents state specific reports, click on the links below:

• Idaho interactive website and narrative report can be found at www.UnitedForALICE.org/Idaho and the press release can be found here. A recording of the April 26th Idaho Launch Event can be found here.
• Oregon interactive website and narrative report can be found at www.UnitedForALICE.org/Oregon and the press release can be found here. A recording of the April 26th Oregon Launch Event can be found here.
• Washington interactive website and narrative report can be found at www.UnitedForALICE.org/Washington and the press release can be found here. A recording of the April 26th Washington Launch Event can be found here.

Previous versions of the study can be found at the website link for each state. 

Visit UnitedforALICE.org to learn more about the national study. 

ALICE Economic Viability Dashboard | Maps And Data (unitedforalice.org)

This new mapping tool can help tackle the obstacles keeping ALICE trapped. The ALICE Economic Viability Dashboard reveals the economic and community conditions of people who are struggling financially — those below the ALICE Threshold. By studying ALICE households as well as those in poverty, United For ALICE research shows the true extent of financial hardship across the country. The ALICE Economic Viability Dashboard builds on this research, exploring why so many households are struggling, with new data on ALICE work, housing, and community resources.

Why ALICE Matters

United For ALICE is a driver of innovation, shining a light on the challenges ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households face and finding collaborative solutions. Through a standardized methodology that assesses the cost of living in every county, this project provides a comprehensive measure of financial hardship across the U.S. Equipped with this data, ALICE partners convene, advocate, and innovate in their local communities to highlight the issues faced by ALICE households and to generate solutions that promote financial stability. This grassroots ALICE movement, led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, has spread to half of U.S. states and the District of Columbia and includes United Ways, corporations, nonprofits, and foundations in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org.

Pacific Northwest ALICE Sponsors

Special thanks to the following sponsors for helping to bring the ALICE Report to the Pacific Northwest states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington.