Who is ALICE?
ALICE is a United Way-coined acronym that stands for – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
The ALICE Report reflects the number of individuals and families that are struggling to make ends meet since the cost of living has outpaced their income. At United Way, we advocate for and support people living below the ALICE Threshold who are experiencing working or extreme poverty and struggling to make ends meet.
The Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report, a study of financial hardship, is published annually to reflect the true number of people walking a financial tightrope in our state. Relying on a wide range of publicly ̶ available sources, the ALICE Report calculates the cost of household basics for each county in Connecticut. This data provides a better sense of how many individuals and families are living below the ALICE Threshold.
The 2026 Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report revealed that 39% of households in our state have income which falls below what is needed to afford basic necessities such as housing, food, child care, health care, technology and transportation.
The report also highlighted that In Connecticut, the ALICE Household Survival Budget is $40,140 for a single adult and $116,304 for a family of four with two adults, an infant, and a preschooler — much higher than the Federal Poverty Level ($15,060 for a single adult and $31,200 for a family of four). Households living below the ALICE Threshold can be found in every town of our state, and are forced to make impossible choices — like deciding whether to pay for utilities or a car repair, or whether to buy food or fill a prescription.
We raise awareness about people living in extreme or working poverty, and the need to create opportunities that help individuals and families achieve financial security.
We also invest in initiatives that help stabilize people living below the ALICE Threshold through the Rapid Response Fund, 860Rides and more. In addition, we advocate for systems change and public policy that can close income gaps for local residents, such as establishing a permanent, fully refundable Connecticut Child Tax Credit.
