The State of ALICE in Wisconsin
Who is ALICE?
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE households have income above the Federal Poverty Level but still don’t make enough to afford the basics in the counties where they live.
ALICE is the engine that powers our economy. ALICE workers are typically our child care providers, home health aides, delivery drivers, grocery store cashiers, and other essential workers we rely on every day. ALICE can also be a family member, friend, neighbor, or even colleague.
ALICE is often locked out of public assistance. Why? Despite ALICE living paycheck to paycheck, in many cases ALICE workers earn too much to qualify for support.
Each day brings a new impossible choice for ALICE families, mired in a constant battle to make ends meet. Pay my heating bill, or buy healthy food for my family? Pay for child care, or work reduced hours to stay home with my child?
ALICE lives in every community, in every county nationwide. Financial hardship isn’t just a big-city or rural problem – it's everywhere.
ALICE isn’t giving up. Despite the odds, these individuals and families are resilient. ALICE works hard, yet is trapped by systemic barriers that stand in the way of getting ahead.
United For ALICE, a national research organization led by United Way of Northern New Jersey whose work is backed by more than 300 experts nationwide, has given us a name and a way to quantify this population that is often known as the “working poor” or the “invisible.”
Key Findings from the 2025 ALICE Report
In 2023, 23% of workers in Wisconsin’s 20 most common jobs lived in households that couldn’t afford basics, according to new data from United Way of Kenosha County and its research partner United For ALICE. These workers – the backbone of every community – include personal care aides, counter workers, cashiers and servers.
The State of ALICE in Wisconsin reveals that traditional measures of poverty have severely undercounted the number of households statewide that are living in financial hardship. While 11% of all households in Wisconsin lived in poverty in 2023, the new research shows that 24% – more than twice as many – were ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). Combined, 35% of Wisconsin’s households fell below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival in 2023.
Click the image below to download a copy of the 2025 ALICE Report for Kenosha County.
