UWGN-2024 AnnualReport - Flipbook - Page 9
WHAT IS ALICE?
Across our country, millions of Americans are on
the cusp of 昀椀 nancial collapse. As prices continue
to rise and wages stagnate, more and more of our
neighbors struggle to make ends meet. This is even
more critical for households that are ALICE: AssetLimited, Income-Constrained, Employed. These are
families or individuals whose income is above the
federal poverty level, but below the cost of basics
included in the household survival budget.
Despite the federal poverty level being the nationally
recognized indicator of who is considered “poor,” the
measurement doesn’t account for the current cost
of basic household necessities and does not re昀氀 ect
cost of living differences across the country. ALICE
was created as a more accurate representation of
functional poverty, accounting for households who
cannot or struggle to afford necessities, like housing,
food, child care, health care and transportation.
ALICE households and households in poverty are
forced to make tough choices, like deciding between
quality child care or paying the rent – choices that
have long-term consequences not only for their
families, but for the community at large.
United Way of Greater Nashville has partnered with
United for ALICE, creators and researchers of the
ALICE measurement, to commission ALICE data for
Tennessee and make it available for our partner
agencies, sister organizations and government
entities across the state.
Of the 20 most common occupations in
Tennessee, 70% still paid less than $20 per hour.
In 2022, 38% of families with children in
Tennessee were below the ALICE threshold.
HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN, TENNESSEE (% Change 2010 to 2022)
MARRIED PARENT
SINGLE FEMALE-HEADED
SINGLE MALE-HEADED
Total Households
Increased 1%
Decreased 5%
Increased 18%
Households in Poverty
Decreased 36%
Decreased 23%
Decreased 14%
ALICE Households
Increased 10%
Increased 19%
Increased 32%
% Below ALICE Threshold, 2022
20%
77%
62%
Note: Poverty rates for families with children differ from rates for individual children, in part due to different surveys and in part because
there are often multiple children in a single household, which can accentuate swings. Sources: ALICE threshold, 2010-2022; U.S. Census
Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010-2022
PERCENT BELOW ALICE THRESHOLD
30%
HOUSEHOLDS IN TENNESSEE
(2.8M Total)
68%
13%
56%
30%
Above ALICE
Threshold
1.2 Million Below
ALICE Threshold
(plus or minus 44%)
Poverty
ALICE
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