Working Long Island Families Face Financial Hardship
Updated ALICE® Report Released by United Way of New York State Reveals Continued Economic Hardship for Working Class New Yorkers
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WHO IS ALICE?
ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
ALICE is a hardworking member of the community and earns above the federal poverty level, yet does not earn enough to afford a bare-bones household budget, or “household survival budget.”
THE ALICE REPORT OF NEW YORK
The United Way ALICE Report provides a framework, language, and tools to measure and understand the struggles of the ALICE population. New York State released its first ALICE Report in 2016, and in 2024 released an updated report that shows that many ALICE households continue to face challenges from low wages, reduced work hours, depleted savings, and increasing costs of living. The United Way ALICE Report uses measures to provide a more accurate picture of financial insecurity at the state, county, and municipal levels. Both the cost of living and job opportunities vary greatly across New York State, and this breakdown makes those differences readily apparent. Data sources include the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey.
Read about Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credits
2024 ALICE REPORT KEY FINDINGS
- 32.5% of Long Island households fall below the set income threshold needed to live and work, which equates to 132,283 households in Nassau County and 184,307 households in Suffolk County that are struggling to afford these basic needs.
- 316,590 households on Long Island have incomes below the ALICE threshold budget for survival.
- In Nassau County, the Household Survival Budget is $110,640 or $55.32/hour for a home with two adults with an infant and a preschooler.
- In Suffolk County, the Household Survival Budget is $122,760 or $61.38/hour for a home with two adults with an infant and a preschooler.
ALICE - NASSAU & SUFFOLK COUNTY AVERAGE
| Total Households on Long Island below ALICE Threshold | 316,590 |
| Percent below ALICE Threshold | 33% |
| ALICE % | 32.5% |
| Poverty % | 6.5% |
| Household Survival Annual Budget (Family of Four) | $116,700 |
| Household Survival Hourly Budget (Family of Four) | $58.35 |
| Household Survival Annual Budget (Single) | $39,210 |
| Household Survival Hourly Budget (Single) | $19.60 |
“ALICE is someone we all recognize,” stated Theresa Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island. She continued, “ALICE represents the recent college graduate who can’t afford to live on their own, the young family burdened by high child care expenses, and the mid-career professional who is underemployed. These individuals are essential to the future economic health of our region, yet they encounter obstacles that hinder their path to financial stability.”
“The data is showing persistent and widespread financial hardship — a red flag that the current system isn't working for ALICE,” said Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., United For ALICE National Director. “Current policy has not been enough to break down the barriers that trap ALICE households in financial hardship, from lack of access to housing and childcare that’s affordable, to inadequate community supports such as broadband internet."
For more information about ALICE: www.unitedforalice.org
About the United Ways in New York
United Ways across New York State advance the common good by creating opportunities for all, with a particular focus on education, income/financial security, health, and basic needs – the building blocks for a good quality of life. Our work is a testament to what we can accomplish when individuals, government, businesses, academia, health agencies, faith-based groups, and nonprofits join together in a common cause.
United Ways across the state work with many community partners to provide support to ALICE families by assisting with financial literacy, education, and workforce readiness on a daily basis. In addition, United Way of New York State hopes that the ALICE Report will shed light on a growing population in New York State and start conversations about how to help more families achieve financial security. Nine United Way chapters in New York are also administering $16 million in state grants to develop new strategies to combat poverty. The United Way’s 211 information and referral phone number has also assisted more than 400,000 New Yorkers with housing and other human service issues.