ALICE Budget and Income Status Tool

Across the U.S., over 40% of households are struggling to make ends meet. This includes households with income below the Federal Poverty Level, and households that are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).

With income above the Federal Poverty Level, ALICE households often earn too much to qualify for public assistance but are still unable to cover basic household expenses. The ALICE Income Status Tool calculates these expenses: housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology, plus taxes, and a contingency fund (miscellaneous) equal to 10% of the budget.

The Tool then compares ALICE Household Survival Budget costs to income, tailored by location and household composition, to determine if a household is Poverty-Level, ALICE, or Above the ALICE Threshold.

To use the Tool:

• Choose a location (state and one or multiple counties)
• Select total annual or monthly household income, then input the amount and tap Submit
• Choose a household composition: up to 6 adults (including those age 18–64 and those over age 65); and up to 6 children under 18 years old (infants, preschoolers, and school-age)