You know ALICE. You see them every day. They are the childcare worker at your daycare, the cashier at your supermarket, aging parents on Social Security, waiters & waitresses, office clerks, and others. They are essential, yet they struggle to survive.
ALICE is Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. They are hardworking people one paycheck away from financial ruin. They live in continuous fear of an unexpected bill that may extend them beyond their already tight budgets.
Wonder what it’s like to live like ALICE? Click here to take an interactive walk-in ALICE’s shoes.
Who is ALICE?
- ALICE is Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed individuals who live and work in our communities.
- They tend to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.
- They earn more than the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but not enough for the cost of living where they live.
- They are your friends and neighbors.
- 47% of Central Florida families are below the ALICE threshold.
- You are or know someone who is ALICE.
ALICE in Florida
According to the 2023 ALICE Report produced by United for ALICE, of Florida’s 8,533,422 households in 2021…
- 13% earned below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
- 32% were ALICE, in households that earned above the FPL but not enough to afford the basics in the communities where they live
- Together, 45% of households in Florida were below the ALICE Threshold (poverty + ALICE divided by total households)
The report concludes that while the COVID-19 pandemic brought employment shifts, health struggles, and school/business closures in 2021, it also spurred unprecedented public assistance through pandemic relief measures. In 2019, 3,639,583 households in Florida were below the ALICE Threshold; by 2021, that number had changed to 3,866,606.
ALICE in Central Florida
The number of Central Florida households unable to afford basic needs increased during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a total of 386,077 households throughout Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties.
Outlined in the new ALICE in the Crosscurrents: COVID and Financial Hardship in Florida report, this is up from 347,000 in 2018 and 353,000 in 2019. However, significant in-migration to the area decreased the overall percentage of households struggling to afford basic needs – 50% in 2019 to 47% in 2021.
This number includes the 110,250 Central Florida households living in poverty, as well as another 275,827 families defined as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), earning above the Federal Poverty Level but less than what’s needed to survive with the escalating cost of living in Central Florida.
Population:
1,422,746
Number of Households:
512,496
Median Household Income:
$64,833 (state average: $63,062)
ALICE Households:
32% (state average: 33%)
Households in Poverty:
15% (state average: 12%)
Population:
403,282
Number of Households:
133,330
Median Household Income:
$60,585 (state average: $63,062)
ALICE Households:
37% (state average 33%)
Households in Poverty:
13% (state average 12%)
Population:
470,093
Number of Households:
188,239
Median Household Income:
$70,236 (state average: $63,062)
ALICE Households:
33% (state average: 33%)
Households in Poverty:
10% (state average: 12%)
Learn more about the ALICE finding here.
Resources to Learn More
Heart of Florida United Way works with partners in many ways to empower ALICE households and keep people from falling into poverty. For information about what community resources are available, connect with United Way’s 211 Information and Referral Crisisline by dialing 211, text your zip code to 898-211 or click here to chat with a 211 Specialist.
Click here to view the ALICE Project website. You will find statewide ALICE data for Florida and can dive deeper for information on a county-wide level.
