ALICE

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About the United Way ALICE Report

There is a basic belief in America that if you work hard, you can support your family. Yet the data presented in the 2020 United Way ALICE Report shows that this is not the case for more than half of Southwest Virginia families.

The United Way ALICE Report provides a comprehensive picture of financial need in Virginia, beyond traditional federal poverty guidelines. The statewide ALICE Report shows data at a county and city level for the entire state to bring awareness to part of our population known as ALICE, an acronym coined by United Way that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The ALICE population represents those of us (men, women, and families) who work hard and earn more than the official Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living.

United Way of Southwest Virginia commissioned the Southwest Virginia ALICE report to bring awareness to our area of the Commonwealth and to provide this useful information to our region. In United Way of Southwest Virginia’s service area, the number of ALICE households is higher than the rest of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The ALICE rate, combined with a poverty rate at 19%, shows that as many as 51% of households in our region cannot afford the basic cost of living.  

In 2018, 51% of Southwestern Virginia households lived in poverty or were ALICE, compared to 39% of all Virginia households. These households contribute to Southwest Virginia’s economy by earning, spending, and paying taxes, yet they still struggle to make ends meet. Even though the cost of living in the region is lower than in the rest of the state, it is higher than what most residents earn. While Southwest Virginia households made up only 7% of the state’s total, they accounted for 13% of households in poverty and 8% of ALICE households. 

The total number of Southwest Virginia households that are below the ALICE Threshold increased 5% between 2010 and 2018.

Who is ALICE?

ALICE® is an acronym coined by United Way that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The ALICE population represents those of us (men, women, and families) who work hard and earn more than the official Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living.

The future success of Southwest Virginia is directly tied to the financial stability of our ALICE households.

“Until now, ALICE has been a hidden population. ALICE works, but struggles to afford the basic necessities, including housing, food, child care, health care, and transportation. The issue is that ALICE households often don’t qualify for governmental aid or social service programs, and they are virtually invisible to the system. A lot of times, their struggles are unseen and unknown.”

Downloadable Resources

Regional Report Presentation

2020 ALICE Regional Report Presentation View on Vimeo | Download the video

Graphics

Stay tuned for 2020 updates.

News and Press

Read our press releases

• Roanoke Times Report: More than half of Southwest Virginians struggle to pay basic expense

• United Way of SW VA: More than half of region cannot afford basic necessities
  A new report from the United Way of Southwest Virginia shows more than half of the region’s residents can’t afford basic necessities.

• Report: Half of SWVA households earned less than basic living cost in 2018
  More than 50% of Southwest Virginia households in 2018 lived in poverty or earned less than the basic cost of living, according to a report released  by the United Ways of Virginia.

• New study reveals nearly half of Southwest Virginia families struggle to afford basics
  Abingdon, VA (July 17, 2017) – There is a basic belief in America that if you work hard, you can support your family. Yet the data presented in The United Way ALICE Report released on July 17, 2017 shows that this is not the case for nearly half of Southwest Virginia families.

View our news coverage

Stay tuned for 2020 updates.

2020 ALICE Sponsors

About our work in Financial Stability

United Way of Southwest Virginia is fighting for the financial stability of the region by empowering people to get on stable financial ground with proven methods like tax preparation assistance, money management, and community partnerships aimed at helping local families keep their hard-earned money. The result is a thriving community where everyone has more opportunity to succeed.