Our Initiatives
Who is ALICE?
You know ALICE. You see ALICE every day. They are the childcare worker at your daycare, the cashier at your supermarket, aging parents on Social Security, your child’s teacher, waiters and waitresses, office clerks, and others. They are essential, yet they struggle to survive.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. This United Way acronym represents the growing number of hardworking individuals and families across Maine and the nation who are working but unable to afford the basic household necessities, including housing, child care, health care, food and transportation.
ALICE is more prevalent than you might think. In fact, 42% of households in Maine — including ALICE households — are struggling to make ends meet.
Together, when we LIVE UNITED, we can change that.
Visit ALICEinMaine.org to view the detailed data and interactive maps.
Meet ALICE
A LOOK AT NUMBERS
United For ALICE calculates the cost of household essentials for all counties in Maine. These costs, outlined in the Household Survival Budget, are calculated for various household sizes and compositions.
Of Maine’s 594,358 households in 2022…
- 12% earned below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
- 30% were ALICE, in households that earned above the FPL, but not enough to afford the basics in the communities where they live
- Together, 42% of households in Maine were below the ALICE Threshold (poverty + ALICE divided by total households)
GETTING TO KNOW ALICE
46% of household in the Heart of Maine are below the ALICE Threshold.
Download the below reports to learn more about our research findings.
Staggering 249,725 households (42%) live below the ALICE threshold
Federal Poverty Level 4-person household under $30,000 annual income
Estimated Survival Budget 4-person household under $91,536 annual income
Above the ALICE Threshold 4-person household over $91,536 annual income
KEY TERMS
Household Survival Budget
The bare-minimum costs of basic necessities (housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and a smartphone plan).
ALICE Threshold
The average income needed to afford the Household Survival Budget. Households below the ALICE Threshold include both ALICE and poverty-level households.
ALICE
Households with income above the Federal Poverty Level but below the basic cost of living.
Poverty
Households earning below the Federal Poverty Level
Total Households
The number of households as reported by the American Community Survey.
Reports
ALICE by County.
PENOBSCOT COUNTY
| Population | 153,704 | |
| Number of Households | 65,940 | |
| Median Household Income | $61,134 | |
| ALICE Households | 29% | |
| Households in Poverty | 16% | |
PISCATAQUIS COUNTY
| Population | 16,936 | |
| Number of Households | 7,654 | |
| Median Household Income | $51,805 | |
| ALICE Households | 32% | |
| Households in Poverty | 16% | |
HANCOCK COUNTY
| Population | 55,851 | |
| Number of Households | 24,660 | |
| Median Household Income | $64,149 | |
| ALICE Households | 31% | |
| Households in Poverty | 12% | |
WALDO COUNTY
| Population | 39,772 | |
| Number of Households | 17,263 | |
| Median Household Income | $62,694 | |
| ALICE Households | 31% | |
| Households in Poverty | 14% | |
SOMERSET COUNTY
| Population | 50,656 | |
| Number of Households | 22,074 | |
| Median Household Income | $53,527 | |
| ALICE Households | 31% | |
| Households in Poverty | 17% | |
WASHINGTON COUNTY
| Population | 31,096 | |
| Number of Households | 13,585 | |
| Median Household Income | $51,669 | |
| ALICE Households | 31% | |
| Households in Poverty | 19% | |
Household Budget
Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck: The ALICE Reality.
Imagine working a full-time job and still having to make an impossible choice like choosing between groceries or gas money. That is the reality for many hardworking ALICE individuals and families in Maine.
Rising housing costs and inflation are disproportionately impacting the financial stability of ALICE families and individuals, straining budgets and limiting their ability to afford the rising cost of living.
At Heart of Maine United Way, we are dedicated to advocating for ALICE households. That’s why we are committed to educating others about ALICE’s reality. The chart demonstrates the financial limitations a family of four earning about $90,000 a year in Maine is faced with. For context, this is almost 3x above the Federal Poverty Line in Maine, which is set at $31,200.
MONTHLY COSTS |
FAMILY OF FOUR* |
| Housing – Rent | $726 |
| Housing – Utilities | $310 |
| Childcare | $1,443 |
| Food | $1,461 |
| Transportation | $1,046 |
| Healthcare | $714 |
| Technology | $116 |
| Miscellaneous | $582 |
| Taxes | $1,230 |
| TOTAL | $7,628 |
| ANNUAL TOTAL | $91,536 |
*2 Adults, 1 Pre-schooler, 1 Infant
Getting Help
Are you ALICE?
If you are an ALICE family, or you know someone who is, HoME United Way has resources that can offer support or you can connect with the 2-1-1 Helpline, which provides information about and referral to health and human service resources. The service is available 24/7, 365 days per year. It is FREE and CONFIDENTIAL.
To learn more about additional HoME United Way resources, explore our Initiatives.
Five Common Questions about ALICE
Are ALICE families living in poverty?
No. By definition, ALICE families are above the Federal Poverty Level. However, they are significantly impeded financially and are one unforeseen expense away from falling into poverty.
Is the head of an ALICE household working?
Yes. The head of an ALICE household is gainfully employed with a full-time job and in many cases, has been loyally working for his or her employer for many years.
Is the head of an ALICE household seeking independence?
Yes. The head of an ALICE household consistently pursues financial independence, often juggling multiple jobs to support their family. They possess a keen awareness of the economic challenges their family faces and are actively striving to solve them through gainful employment.
Are ALICE families rare?
No. ALICE families are everywhere. According to the data, 46% of households in the Heart of Maine fall into the ALICE designation. As core costs such as housing, childcare, and food continue to outpace wages, these families are increasingly falling further and further behind. ALICE exists in every community across Maine.
Are ALICE families easy to spot?
No. ALICE families are your neighbors, coworkers, and community members, people you likely interact with every single day. They are the waiter at your favorite restaurant, the cashier at your neighborhood grocery store, the greeter welcoming you to church on Sunday, or the parent of your child’s best friend at school. ALICE is present in every community across Maine.