ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is a new way of defining and understanding the struggles of households that earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford a bare-bones household budget.
For many families, the cost of living out places what they earn. These households struggle to manage even their most basic needs – housing, food, transportation, child care, health care, and necessary technology.
ALICE is your child care worker, the cashier at the grocery store, the gas attendant, the waitress, the home health aide, the office clerk. ALICE cannot always pay the bills, has little or nothing in savings, and is forced to make tough choices such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent. One unexpected car repair or medical bill can push these financially strapped families over the edge.
Want to learn more? Click on the below reports to read more about ALICE, both in Blount County and in the state of Tennessee.
2024 Focus Children in Tennessee
2024 ALICE in Blount County Overview
Tennessee ALICE Essentials Index Report
2024 ALICE in Tennessee Report
COVID-19 and ALICE — The Pandemic Divide
ALICE Research Methodology
Additional ALICE Resources
ALICE in Focus – Children
ALICE in Focus – Disabilities
ALICE in Focus – Veterans