United Way released its annual “ALICE” report that measures household income data and it found that in 2021 34 percent of Wisconsin’s 2.4 million households struggled to make ends meet.
ALICE are people who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. According to United Way, they earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford the basics where they live. United Way said that could force people to make choices between necessities such as food, health care and child care and decrease employment availability.
The New North region is largely ahead of state and national averages for the percentage of people who are considered ALICE, but there are pockets where incomes are not meeting living expenses for larger numbers of people.
The study looked at the costs of housing, utilities, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology to conclude that for a family of four, and income of $63,324 (after a child tax credit) would be required to meet those costs in Wisconsin. The study calculated the data for each county and by zip code. About 34 percent of Wisconsin residents are below the ALICE threshold. In the New North region, Brown, Marquette, Menominee and Waushara counties had higher percentages of people below the Alice threshold than the state average. All other New North counties were at or above the state average.
“People in Wisconsin continue to work hard to make ends meet for their families, and far too many are struggling to make that a reality,” said United Way of Wisconsin President and CEO Charlene Mouille. “While the state of emergency has been lifted and pandemic assistance removed, the financial hardships of the COVID era remain a very real struggle—now and in the future—for over a third of Wisconsin households.”
In Wisconsin in 2021, Black households, young households, and single-parent households had the highest rates below the ALICE Threshold. White and Asian households, working-age households, and married-parent households had the lowest rates below the Threshold. Single parent households were most likely to be below the Alice Threshold.
United Way shares the data to encourage organizations to plan responses and services for those in need in their communities. See the full report here.
