United for ALICE
ALICE represents the 27% of West Virginians who work, but struggle to survive. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE earns above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but makes less than what’s needed to afford basic essentials. ALICE often earns too much to qualify for government assistance, and there is no room in ALICE’s budget for emergency expenses. If you combine WV households earning below the ALICE threshold, with those living below the FPL, that’s 47% of West Virginia households who face financial hardship every day, in every county across the state. CLICK HERE to learn more.
West Virginia•State Overview
United For ALICE calculates the cost of household essentials for all counties in West Virginia. These costs, outlined in the Household Survival Budget, are calculated for various household sizes and compositions.
Of West Virginia’s 711,392 households in 2021…
- 17% earned below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
- 31% were ALICE, in households that earned above the FPL but not enough to afford the basics in the communities where they live
- Together, 48% of households in West Virginia were below the ALICE Threshold (poverty + ALICE divided by total households)
While the COVID-19 pandemic brought employment shifts, health struggles, and school/business closures in 2021, it also spurred unprecedented public assistance through pandemic relief measures. In 2019, 327,958 households in West Virginia were below the ALICE Threshold; by 2021, that number had changed to 339,890. Use the buttons below to switch between ALICE data over time by number and percentage.
See all of the WV Data HERE.
