ALICE: A Study on Financial Hardship

There’s more to financial hardship than meets the eye. The outdated Federal Poverty Level doesn’t tell the whole story. This is where ALICE comes in.  ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE households have income above the Federal Poverty Level but still don’t make enough to afford the basics in the counties where they live. In the Pacific Northwest, 2 in 5 households are ALICE, constantly facing financial strain just to get by every day. 

ALICE is the engine that powers our economy. They are the workers that are typically our child care providers, home health aides, delivery drivers, grocery store cashiers, and other essential workers we rely on every day. ALICE can also be a family member, friend, neighbor, or even colleague. Each day brings a new impossible choice for ALICE families, mired in a constant battle to make ends meet. Pay my heating bill, or buy healthy food for my family? Pay for child care, or work reduced hours to stay home with my child?

United For ALICE, a national research organization led by United Way of Northern New Jersey whose work is backed by more than 300 experts nationwide, has given us a name and a way to quantify this population that is often known as the “working poor” or the “invisible.”  

Why ALICE Matters

United For ALICE is a driver of innovation, shining a light on the challenges ALICE 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.

Launched in 2009 with a study of financial hardship in one New Jersey county, the nonpartisan United For ALICE movement has grown to include 35 states and the District of Columbia. With a commitment to racial and economic justice, United For ALICE partners use the ALICE data to give voice to the challenges ALICE households face.

The State of ALICE: An Update on Financial Hardship across the Pacific Northwest

In 2022, financial hardship continued to be shaped by the conflicting economic forces of the pandemic. Hardship remained substantially undercounted by official measures, and longstanding disparities in hardship by age, race/ethnicity, and household type persisted. These powerful crosscurrents — COVID-19, inflation, wage growth, and the expansion and expiration of pandemic public assistance — impacted how many households were below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival.

With the latest data from the American Community Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, and the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) (2023), this Update highlights the conflicting forces that continue to present opportunities for, and barriers to, financial stability.

For the 2025 State of ALICE reports, click on the images below:

Visit UnitedforALICE.org to learn more about the National Overview of the State of ALICE in the U.S.

LISTEN IN on a recent segment featuring United Ways of the Pacific Northwest President & CEO, Jim Cooper, talking about ALICE households in Southern Oregon and why so many struggle to make ends meet.

ALICE in Focus Series | Children, People with Disabilities, and Veterans

Since 2009, United For ALICE has shed light on the everyday struggles of households that are ALICE. The ALICE in Focus Research Series takes this data to a new level, spotlighting the struggles of people in specific ALICE populations, including children, people with disabilities, and military veterans. 

The ALICE in Focus dashboards and research briefs allow you to break down the data on these groups by race/ethnicity, disability status, living arrangements, number of workers in the household, and much more. It's a new lens on specific populations in financial hardship — with a level of detail that can help drive meaningful change.

ALICE Economic Viability Dashboard | Measuring Economic Well-Being for ALICE

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.

Pacific Northwest ALICE Report Sponsors

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

Donate Now