Updated research shows 46% of families in Wayne County and 31% of families in Union County earn less than what it takes to meet essential needs in a modern economy
Wayne and Union counties were home to 29,695 households in 2023, and nearly half of those families (45%) experienced financial hardship, according to a new report released by United Way of Whitewater Valley and research partner United for ALICE. The report, “The State of ALICE in Indiana: 2025 Update on Financial Hardship,” considers both households that are in poverty and those considered ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). ALICE households earn income greater than the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but not enough to afford essentials like housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology.
In 2023, the income threshold for the FPL was set at $14,580 for an individual and $30,000 for a family of four. While the FPL has long been used as the basis for determining eligibility for public assistance, the ALICE report shows this official measure is outdated and “sharply underestimates” the true extent of financial hardship in the U.S. Based on the ALICE Household Survival Budget, the bare minimum cost of living in Wayne and Union counties is between $25,836 and $26,424 for a single adult and between $71,964 and $72,336 for a family of four with two adults, a preschooler, and an infant. For a single adult age 65 or older, the ALICE Household Survival Budget is between $30,276 and $31,104.
“The ALICE report highlights the importance of working together to ensure that every member of our community has a chance to live up to their full potential. It gives a voice to struggling families by offering a realistic measure of need, and it provides the data required to develop community-level, collaborative approaches to addressing gaps and barriers to financial security,” said Tamara Brinkman, United Way of Whitewater Valley’s President. “I’m proud to be a part of the network bringing this data to our community. Keeping ALICE at the heart of our strategies is a priority for us. United is the way we create lasting change.”
ALICE represents a growing number of workers who keep our economy functioning, from child care providers to nursing assistants, food service workers, cashiers, and personal care aides. ALICE families often face impossible choices, such as whether to pay for utilities or a car repair, buy food or fill a prescription. One unexpected expense can lead to financial crisis.
In both Wayne and Union Counties, groups that showed higher than average rates of financial insecurity in 2023 included families with children (especially those led by single parents), households with individuals over the age of 65, and families who identified as Black, Hispanic, and Asian. Review the full report or explore state, county, and local level data at unitedforalice.org/Indiana.
