COVID-19 and ALICE
COVID-19 and ALICE
Understanding the Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our racial and economic shortcomings for all to see and worsened financial hardship for many struggling households.
Before the pandemic, 42% of U.S. households were already unable to make ends meet. This includes households in poverty and those that are ALICE (Asset, Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). With income above the Federal Poverty Level, ALICE households earn too much to qualify as “poor” but are still unable to cover basic household expenses in the counties where they live.
Our Report, The Pandemic Divide: An ALICE Analysis of National COVID Surveys, reveals that ALICE families fared significantly worse than higher income households during the pandemic — financially, physically, and emotionally.
This research is bolstered by the ALICE COVID-19 and Vaccination Trackers, as well as the other resources on this page. Together, they shed light on the experiences of ALICE households, fill gaps left by traditional economic measures, and help policymakers and community stakeholders make data-informed decisions to address the root causes of financial hardship.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our racial and economic shortcomings for all to see and worsened financial hardship for many struggling households.
Before the pandemic, 42% of U.S. households were already unable to make ends meet. This includes households in poverty and those that are ALICE (Asset, Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). With income above the Federal Poverty Level, ALICE households earn too much to qualify as “poor” but are still unable to cover basic household expenses in the counties where they live.
Our Report, The Pandemic Divide: An ALICE Analysis of National COVID Surveys, reveals that ALICE families fared significantly worse than higher income households during the pandemic — financially, physically, and emotionally.
This research is bolstered by the ALICE COVID-19 and Vaccination Trackers, as well as the other resources on this page. Together, they shed light on the experiences of ALICE households, fill gaps left by traditional economic measures, and help policymakers and community stakeholders make data-informed decisions to address the root causes of financial hardship.
ALICE and COVID-19 Tracker
This map shows the percentage of households below the ALICE Threshold (Poverty + ALICE), along with COVID-19 case counts and deaths in each county across the U.S. While COVID-19 has impacted households of all income levels, households that were struggling even before COVID may need additional support as our economy continues to recover from the pandemic.
How to Use This Tool
- Select either cumulative cases, new cases, or per capita cases
- Select either COVID-19 positive cases or deaths
- Red dots represent the magnitude of the selected data. The larger the dot, the higher the number of COVID-19 cases or deaths
- The shading on the map shows the relative percentage of households below the ALICE Threshold. The darker the color, the higher the percentage
- Hover over the national map to see the name of the state, the percentage of households below the ALICE Threshold, cumulative positive cases, new positive cases, cumulative deaths, or new deaths for the time period listed above the map
- Choose a state to view county-level data
- View the chart to the right of the map to see a sorted view (high to low) of positive cases or deaths for all states (if "all" is selected) or counties within a state (if a state is selected)
- View the charts below the map to see cumulative positive COVID-19 cases and cumulative COVID-19 deaths over time for the selected geography (U.S., state, or county)
Sources: ALICE Threshold, 2018; New York Times, 2022
ALICE and COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker
This map shows the percentage of households below the ALICE Threshold (Poverty + ALICE), along with the percent of the population that is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Fully vaccinated means a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (both shots of two-shot regimens, like Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, or one shot of the Janssen-Johnson & Johnson vaccine). Tracking vaccination rates along with ALICE data can help pinpoint gaps in vaccination rates by household financial status.
How to Use This Tool
- The dots on the map signify the relative percentage of the population that is fully vaccinated. Dots are shaded from dark red (lowest percentage of fully vaccinated population) to dark green (highest percentage of fully vaccinated population)
- The shading on map shows the relative percentage of households below the ALICE Threshold. The darker the color, the higher the percentage
- Hover over the national map to see the name of the state, the percentage of households below the ALICE Threshold, the percentage of the population that is fully vaccinated, the percentage of the population that has initiated their vaccinations (but may not yet be fully vaccinated), the total population, the total number of vaccinations completed, and the date the data was last updated
- Click on a state and county-level data will appear below the national map
Sources: ALICE Threshold, 2018; CDC COVID Data Tracker, 2022
ALICE Measures can Guide Recovery
By more accurately identifying need, the ALICE measures can guide better policies and practices to help families weather the current crisis. COVID-19 shows how exposed ALICE households — and therefore all our communities and businesses — are to an emergency. We know that:
ALICE WORKERS ARE MORE VULNERABLE:
The pandemic has created two groups of ALICE workers: those who are essential and still working, typically on-site; and those who are non-essential, who are now working far fewer hours or not at all.
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Essential ALICE workers continue to keep our infrastructure running and take care of COVID-19 patients and others needing health care
- Many do not have adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), so they are risking their health — and their families’ health
- Some employers have stepped up and are providing “hero’s pay,” but even $2 per hour more does not bring most ALICE workers to financial stability
- Despite the ongoing economic slowdown, some employers have already pulled back "hero’s pay"
- Even essential ALICE workers are still struggling paycheck to paycheck
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For many non-essential ALICE workers, the economic slowdown has severely reduced employment
- The industries where ALICE works – food service, leisure, hospitality, tourism – have been hit the hardest
- ALICE is more likely to work in small businesses, which on average offer lower wages and fewer benefits, and have been hit hardest by the pandemic: The number of small businesses open in the U.S. decreased by 19.1% between January and August 2020
- Black and Hispanic ALICE workers are facing even higher rates of unemployment
- With less access to the internet and computers, ALICE workers have more difficulty working from home
BLACK ALICE HOUSEHOLDS ARE AT GREATER RISK:
Black people are contracting COVID-19 at higher rates and dying at higher rates than their White counterparts. These disparities are being fed by multiple factors:
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- Black households are more likely to face financial hardship: 60% of Black households are unable to afford basic household essentials in their communities — nearly double the rate of White households
- Black families remain disproportionately likely to live in substandard housing in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty — those with few grocery stores, banks, parks, or recreation facilities, with inadequate health care services and under-resourced public schools, and with high levels of violence and exposure to environmental hazards
- Black households and communities have long faced institutional barriers to quality health care
ALICE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FACE ADDITIONAL HARDSHIPS:
Almost one in four families with children in the U.S. have income below the ALICE Threshold. They are especially vulnerable to the disruptions that accompany child care, school, and university closures.
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- More than one-quarter of households below the ALICE Threshold do not have adequate internet access, compromising participation in e-learning
- Parents who need to work cannot stay at home with their children, leading to health and safety issues for unsupervised children or jeopardizing a parent’s ability to work
- ALICE families can lose access to other supports, such as free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches provided at school
ALICE SENIORS FACE GREATER RISKS:
People over the age of 60 are the age group most susceptible to serious illness from COVID-19. Half of seniors in the U.S. have income below the ALICE Threshold; they have no extra income and little or no savings to cover extra health care costs.
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- More than 40% of U.S. coronavirus deaths are linked to nursing homes, which puts both ALICE seniors and ALICE health care workers at higher risk
- ALICE seniors are at higher risk of loneliness and isolation, and as the pandemic continues, they also risk declining nutrition and health as social distancing limits trips to the grocery store and preventative care visits
- When senior centers close, ALICE seniors and their families must navigate additional burdens, such as taking on caregiving responsibilities and adapting to the loss of supports like hot meals and social activity
COVID-19 Resources: The Consequences for ALICE Families
As outlined in detail in the 2019 Consequences of Insufficient Household Income Report, ALICE families face tough choices when they do not have enough income or assistance to afford basic necessities. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated and shifted the challenges and risks to a family’s immediate health, safety, and financial stability. While the crisis is still unfolding, we share here some resources to track the pandemic’s impact on the six essential areas of a household budget — housing, child care and education, food, transportation, health care, and technology — as well as on jobs and income. We also offer a variety of resources for tracking COVID-19 data.
HOUSING
- CARES Act Mortgage Forbearance: What You Need to Know - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/cares-act-mortgage-forbearance-what-you-need-know/
- Assessing Options for Federal Rental Assistance during the Pandemic - Urban Institute, August 5, 2020 https://www.urban.org/research/publication/assessing-options-federal-rental-assistance-during-pandemic
- Princeton University Eviction Lab COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard - https://evictionlab.org/covid-policy-scorecard/ The Eviction Tracking System - https://evictionlab.org/eviction-tracking/
- A State Framework for Delivering Targeted Housing Assistance to People and Places Hit Hardest by COVID-19 - Urban Institute, August 6, 2020 https://www.urban.org/research/publication/state-framework-delivering-targeted-housing-assistance-people-and-places-hit-hardest-covid-19
- Expanding the Supply of Affordable Housing for Low-Wage Workers - Center for American Progress, August 10, 2020 https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2020/08/10/488313/expanding-supply-affordable-housing-low-wage-workers/
CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION
- COVID-19: Impact on Education Equity: Resources and Responses - The Education Trust https://edtrust.org/covid-19-impact-on-education-equity-resources-responding/
- The Importance of Childcare in Reopening the Economy - Econofact, July 29, 2020 https://econofact.org/the-importance-of-childcare-in-reopening-the-economy
- Colleges May Need to Test Every 2 Days to Contain Coronavirus Outbreaks, Study Finds - Education Dive, August 4, 2020 https://www.educationdive.com/news/colleges-may-need-to-test-every-2-days-to-contain-coronavirus-outbreaks-st/582900/
- Costly and Unavailable: America Lacks Sufficient Child Care Supply for Infants and Toddlers - Center for American Progress, August 4, 2020 https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2020/08/04/488642/costly-unavailable-america-lacks-sufficient-child-care-supply-infants-toddlers/
- Low-income Households Falling Further Behind on Student Debt Due to COVID-19 - Brookings, August 5, 2020 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/08/05/low-income-households-falling-further-behind-on-student-debt-due-to-covid-19/
- Poll: Many Low-Income, Latino Residents Are Rethinking College Amid The Pandemic - WBUR, July 15, 2020 https://www.wbur.org/edify/2020/07/15/massinc-poll-college-plans-changing-coronavirus
- COVID-19 Resources and Policy Considerations - The Hunt Institute http://www.hunt-institute.org/covid-19-resources/
- Resources for Parents and School Districts - COVID-Explained, August 7, 2020 https://explaincovid.org/kids/resources-for-parents-and-school-districts/
- Data Overview: Child Care Centers, Camps, and Outbreaks - COVID-Explained, August 21, 2020 https://explaincovid.org/kids/data-overview-child-care-centers-camps-and-outbreaks
- Tracking How the Coronavirus is Impacting School Districts - Education Dive, September 2, 2020 https://www.educationdive.com/news/tracking-how-the-coronavirus-is-impacting-school-districts/578628/
- Coping with COVID-19 - National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC.org) https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/covid-19
FOOD
- About 14 Million Children in the U.S. Are Not Getting Enough to Eat - Brookings, July 9, 2020 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/07/09/about-14-million-children-in-the-us-are-not-getting-enough-to-eat/
- How Can We Do a Better Job of Getting Meals to Young Children During the Pandemic? - Urban Institute, July 28, 2020 https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/how-can-we-do-better-job-getting-meals-young-children-during-pandemic
- Nearly 60 Percent Increase in Older Adult Food Insecurity During COVID-19: Federal Action on SNAP Needed Now - Food Research & Action Center, July 31, 2020 https://frac.org/blog/nearly-60-percent-increase-in-older-adult-food-insecurity-during-covid-19-federal-action-on-snap-needed-now
- Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report - Food Research & Action Center, August 2020 https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/FRAC-Summer-Nutrition-Report-2020.pdf
- For the Unemployed, Rising Grocery Prices Strain Budgets Even More - Washington Post, August 4, 2020 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/04/grocery-prices-unemployed/
TRANSPORTATION
- The Coronavirus Has Highlighted the Transit Inequalities in America - Marketplace, July 1, 2020 https://www.marketplace.org/2020/07/01/the-coronavirus-has-highlighted-the-transit-inequalities-in-america/
- Getting Kids to School: Tackling the COVID-19 Transportation Problem - Education Week, July 8, 2020 https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/reopening-schools/getting-kids-to-school-tackling-covid-19-transportation-problem.html
- Transportation and Health: America’s Longstanding Disconnect - Eno Center for Transportation, August 7, 2020 https://www.enotrans.org/article/guest-op-ed-transportation-and-health-americas-longstanding-disconnect/
- Transit System Stories - American Public Transportation Association https://www.apta.com/public-transit-response-to-coronavirus/transit-system-stories/
HEALTH CARE
- COVID-19 Latest News On The Coronavirus Outbreak - Kaiser Health News https://khn.org/news/tag/coronavirus/
- Changes in Health Insurance Coverage Due to the COVID-19 Recession - Urban Institute, July 13, 2020 https://www.urban.org/research/publication/changes-health-insurance-coverage-due-covid-19-recession
- Medicaid Emergency Authority Tracker: Approved State Actions to Address COVID-19 - Kaiser Family Foundation https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/medicaid-emergency-authority-tracker-approved-state-actions-to-address-covid-19/
- New Report Finds Many U.S. Small & Midsize Cities Face Increased Rent Burden & Income Inequality - NYU Langone Health, August 5, 2020 https://nyulangone.org/news/new-report-finds-many-us-small-midsize-cities-face-increased-rent-burden-income-inequality
- Study Saw 'Striking Disparities' in DC Children's Coronavirus Cases - NBC Washington, August 6, 2020 https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/study-saw-striking-disparities-in-dc-childrens-coronavirus-cases/2384005/
- States Launch Initiatives to Address Racial Inequities Highlighted by COVID-19 - National Academy for State Health Policy https://www.nashp.org/states-launch-initiatives-to-address-racial-inequities-highlighted-by-covid-19/
TECHNOLOGY
- A Third of K-12 Students Aren't Adequately Connected for Remote Learning, Report Says - Education Week, June 29, 2020 https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2020/06/digital_divide_teachers_students.html
- Impact of the Digital Divide in the Age of COVID-19 - Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, July 2020 https://academic.oup.com/jamia/article/doi/10.1093/jamia/ocaa078/5826352
- Bridging the Digital Divide Through Digital Equity Offices - Brookings, July 23, 2020 https://www.brookings.edu/research/bridging-the-digital-divide-through-digital-equity-offices/
- For Schools to Reopen, Congress Must Include Broadband Funding in the Stimulus Bill - Brookings, July 28, 2020 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2020/07/28/for-schools-to-reopen-congress-must-include-broadband-funding-in-the-stimulus-bill/
JOBS AND INCOME
- Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker https://tracktherecovery.org/
- Employment and Jobs: COVID-19 Response Tools and Resources - Aspen Institute https://www.aspeninstitute.org/tag/covid-19/
- Alternative Financial Services in the Time of Coronavirus: What You Need to Know - Journalist’s Resource, May 19, 2020 https://journalistsresource.org/studies/economics/inequality/alternative-financial-services-coronavirus/
- Changes in State TANF Policies in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Urban Institute, August 4, 2020 https://www.urban.org/research/publication/changes-state-tanf-policies-response-covid-19-pandemic
- Using Cash Payments to Reduce Poverty - Urban Institute, August 7, 2020 https://www.urban.org/research/publication/using-cash-payments-reduce-poverty
COVID-19 DATA/RATES
- CDC COVID Data Tracker - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases
- COVID-19 United States Cases by County - Johns Hopkins University & Medicine https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map
- Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
- COVID-19 in the United States - Data USA https://datausa.io/coronavirus
- US COVID Atlas - State and County - University of Chicago https://geodacenter.github.io/covid/map.html#
- Racial Data Dashboard - The COVID Tracking Project https://covidtracking.com/race/dashboard
ARCHIVED RESOURCES/LINKS
June 2020:
- The Coronavirus Will Make Child Care Deserts Worse and Exacerbate Inequality - Center for American Progress, June 22, 2020 https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2020/06/22/486433/coronavirus-will-make-child-care-deserts-worse-exacerbate-inequality/
- A Time to Re-imagine Community Colleges - Community College Daily, June 11, 2020 https://www.ccdaily.com/2020/06/a-time-to-reimagine-community-colleges/
- How the COVID-19 Pandemic Shed Light on the Digital Divide - Seattle Times, June 10, 2020 https://www.govtech.com/network/How-the-COVID-19-Pandemic-Shed-Light-on-the-Digital-Divide.html
May 2020:
- Will Early Learning, After School Care Shift Toward Home-based Care? - Education Dive, May 22, 2020 https://www.educationdive.com/news/will-early-learning-after-school-shift-toward-home-based-care/578283/?emci=624371ce-91a6-ea11-9b05-00155d039e74&emdi=6f9b673c-ada6-ea11-9b05-00155d039e74&ceid=2837981
- The Impact of Coronavirus on Food Insecurity - Feeding America, May 19, 2020 https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/coronavirus-hunger-research
- Amid the Pandemic, Public Transit is Highlighting Inequalities in Cities - Washington Post, May 15, 2020 https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/15/amid-pandemic-public-transit-is-highlighting-inequalities-cities/?arc404=true
- Detroit Housing Shortage, Evictions Set Stage For Covid-19 Housing Crisis - Poverty Solutions, University of Michigan, May 12, 2020 https://poverty.umich.edu/news-events/news/detroit-housing-shortage-evictions-set-stage-for-covid-19-housing-crisis/
- There’s No Going Back: Child Care after COVID-19 National Association for the Education of Young Children, May 6, 2020 https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/theres-no-going-back-child-care-after-covid-19
- Parents Are Struggling to Provide for Their Families during the Pandemic Material Hardships Greatest among Low-Income, Black, and Hispanic Parents - Urban Institute, May 2020 https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/102254/parents-are-struggling-to-provide-for-their-families-during-the-pandemic_1.pdf
April 2020:
- More Than One in Five US Adults Experienced Food Insecurity in the Early Weeks of the Pandemic - Urban Institute, April 28, 2020 https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/more-one-five-us-adults-experienced-food-insecurity-early-weeks-pandemic
- COVID-19 Creates Challenges to Food Security - University of Wisconsin-Madison, April 6, 2020 https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/news/2020/04/06/covid-19-creates-challenges-to-food-security/
Undated:
- Poverty and the Impact of COVID-19: The Blue-Marble Health Approach - Blue Marble Health, September 2016 https://muse.jhu.edu/chapter/2625177