United Way of Whitewater Valley is part of a national network of local United Ways and state associations of United Ways that are dedicated to uplifting ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Exployed) households and moving them toward financial stability. ALICE households earn above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but cannot afford the basic cost of living in their county. Despite struggling to make ends meet, ALICE households often do not qualify for public assistance.
2.7 million households in Indiana qualify as ALICE, and of those, 14,417 households live in Wayne and Union Counties. 1 out of 2 families in Wayne County and 1 out of 3 families in Union County are living paycheck to paycheck, one crisis away from poverty.
According to the ALICE update in 2024 (based on 2022 point-in-time Census data), a single adult living in Wayne County would need to make a minimum of $24,192 ($12.10/hour) to survive, while a single adult in Union County would need to make a minimum of $24,420 ($12.21/hour). The ability to calculate cost of living at the county (and sometimes more local) level is part of what differentiates the United for ALICE data from national indexes tied to the Federal Poverty Level, which do not account for cost-of-living differences between or within states in the contiguous U.S.
Households with two adults, an inflant, and a preschooler in Wayne County and Union Counties would need to make a minimum of $70,860 ($35.43/hour) and $69,999 ($35.00/hour) respectively. Calculations are available based on other household compositions – another differentiating feature of United for ALICE data – and can be found at unitedforalice.org/indiana.
In Wayne County, households with individuals over the age of 65 are dispropotionately impacted by financial hardship, as are households identifying as Black. Single-parent households are also heavily impacted. The highest proportion of ALICE households within the United Way of Whitewater Valley service area live in Wayne Township, Jackson Township, Liberty Township, Center Township, Perry Township, and Washington Township. It’s time to move these families toward financial stability.
United Way mobilizes communities to action so all can thrive. In Wayne and Union Counties, we are uplifting ALICE households through collaborative partnerships and community investment to address essential needs related to food insecurity, healthcare access, and housing.
Learn More About ALICE Households
* Download ALICE in Wayne County datasheet
* Download ALICE in Union County datasheet
* Explore ALICE in Indiana, by county, or by locality: unitedforalice.org/indiana
* Explore ALICE by legislative district: unitedforalice.org/legislative-district-tool
* Explore ALICE workforce: unitedforalice.org/maps-and-data
* Explore ALICE cost of essentials: unitedforalice.org/essentials-index
