ALICE in Portage County

ALICE LOGO

WHO IS ALICE?

Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed

ALICE represents individuals and households who earn just above the Federal Poverty Level but less than what it costs to make ends meet.  ALICE workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin while keeping our communities running; ALICE is your child care worker, cashier, home health aide, office assistant or general laborer...all people who are essential to our success.  

WHAT IS THE UNITED WAY ALICE INITIATIVE?

The United Way ALICE Initiative is a collaborative research effort identifying and communicating the needs of the voiceless part of our communities; allowing for local change-makers to understand, measure, and advance change to improve the lives of ALICE households, ultimately strengthening our communities.
The United Way ALICE Report Reveals:

ALICE IN ACTION

The United for ALICE project provides a comprehensive and unbiased picture of financial hardship in Wisconsin.  United Way of Wisconsin, in partnership with the local United Way's in our state has released the 2023 Wisconsin ALICE Report.  The release of this ALICE Report for Wisconsin comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The pandemic exposed exactly the issues of the economic hardship that United for ALICE and the ALICE data work to reveal.  

The ALICE Report for Wisconsin presents the latest ALICE data available; a point-in-time snapshot of economic conditions across the state in 2021.  By showing how many Wisconsin households were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, even with the extra supports in place, the ALICE research provides the backstory for why COVID-19 continues to have an economic impact.   

In Wisconsin, 34% of households struggle to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, health care, food, and transportation, 23% of that fall into the ALICE demographic. In Portage County, 31% of the population is living below the ALICE Threshold. What is needed for a household to survive? Click on the reports below to see what income level is needed to support families basic needs of housing, child care, food, transportation and health care in our communities.

MORE RESOURCES

Full ALICE Report (2023 version)

ALICE in Portage County (2023 version)

Interactive Dashboard