Who Is ALICE?
You may know ALICE. You may be ALICE.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed - a term that describes the growing number of households in our community who are working hard but still struggling to make ends meet.
ALICE households earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford the basics. ALICE households include workers whose wages cannot keep up with the rising cost of goods and services, those who are working two or more jobs and still cannot pay their bills, and families living paycheck to paycheck - forced to decide between paying the rent or buying food, receiving medical care or paying for child care, paying utility bills or putting gas in the car.
These are our neighbors, daycare teachers, grocery store clerks, home health aides, food service workers, and first responders. They are essential to our community's success and they deserve our support.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The scope of this challenge is larger than many realize.
In 2023, 16% of Oklahoma households were counted as financially insecure by the Federal Poverty Level. But that measure failed to account for an additional 29% of households also experiencing financial hardship. Together, an estimated 45% of households in Oklahoma were below the ALICE Threshold.
That means nearly half of all Oklahoma families cannot reliably afford housing, food, transportation, health care, child care, and basic technology. More than 700,000 Oklahoma households fell short of the income needed to cover these essentials.
Explore the Data
Understanding the challenge is the first step toward changing it. We encourage you to dig into the data and see what financial hardship looks like in our community.
The official Oklahoma ALICE report, with county-by-county data, household survival budgets, and local community conditions. This is the most comprehensive look at financial hardship in our state.
Use interactive charts to see an overview of financial hardship by county in Oklahoma. These profiles highlight key aspects of local economies - including details related to demographics, the cost of living, the labor landscape, and variation by ZIP code, Census County Subdivision, and Census Designated Place.
An interactive tool that shows how different wage levels affect a household's ability to cover basic expenses.
Why This Matters
When families are stretched to the breaking point, the effects ripple across our entire community. Children miss out on stable learning environments. Adults delay medical care. Families skip savings, emergency funds, and any path toward long-term financial security. These short-term decisions have long-term consequences not only for ALICE households, but for all of us.
At United Way of Norman, we believe that when one neighbor struggles, we all feel it. That's why understanding ALICE is central to how we work. It helps us see the full picture of need, connect people to the right resources, and build a community where everyone has a real chance to thrive.
We're mobilizing our community to take action for ALICE households - connecting people to financial stability resources, supporting programs that create opportunity for children and families, and advocating for systems that help working people get and stay ahead.