Financial Security
Households Below ALICE Threshold

Increasing


Households Below ALICE Threshold

What does this measure?

The percent of households below the ALICE threshold. ALICE is an acronym for "Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed."

ALICE is designed as an improvement on the federal poverty level, which is not based on the current cost of basic household necessities and does not adjust for cost-of-living differences across the U.S. (excepting Alaska and Hawai'i).

ALICE provides a measure of households that do not earn enough to fully provide for basic household needs such as housing, food, transportation, child care, health care, and necessary technology to participate in the modern economy, such as internet access - even though many have income higher than the federal poverty level.

Why is this important?

ALICE provides a better indication than the federal poverty level of how many households and families are struggling or thriving in the current economy, painting a more accurate picture of local and regional conditions. This can aid communities and policy makers in assessing the level of support and assistance programs appropriate for households in their area.

How does our county compare?

In 2023, 40% of Lancaster County households were below the ALICE threshold, the same level as the state and Berks County and above other counties in the region. The ALICE level was higher in the City of Lancaster at 55%. The county's rate has increased from 34% in 2019.

Notes about the data

Information on the ALICE definition and methodology is available on the United for ALICE website:https://www.unitedforalice.org/methodology.

Households Below ALICE Threshold
201020122014201620182019202120222023
Pennsylvania38%40%
Lancaster County36%37%36%34%34%34%35%36%40%
Lancaster City55%
Lancaster County Boroughs
Adamstown borough28%
Akron borough43%
Christiana borough41%
Columbia borough59%
Denver township37%
East Petersburg borough34%
Elizabethtown borough49%
Ephrata borough49%
Lititz borough39%
Manheim borough41%
Marietta borough55%
Millersville borough51%
Mount Joy borough39%
Mountville borough36%
New Holland borough57%
Quarryville borough39%
Strasburg borough34%
Terre Hill borough62%
Lancaster County Townships
Bart township36%
Brecknock township28%
Caernarvon township25%
Clay township39%
Colerain township38%
Conestoga township40%
Conoy township38%
Drumore township49%
Earl township38%
East Cocalico township31%
East Donegal township27%
East Drumore township40%
East Earl township22%
East Hempfield township28%
East Lampeter township38%
Eden township39%
Elizabeth township31%
Ephrata township38%
Fulton township40%
Lancaster township35%
Leacock township36%
Little Britain township42%
Manheim township31%
Manor township33%
Martic township27%
Mount Joy township30%
Paradise township36%
Penn township32%
Pequea township26%
Providence township48%
Rapho township36%
Sadsbury township32%
Salisbury township30%
Strasburg township36%
Upper Leacock township45%
Warwick township31%
West Cocalico township30%
West Donegal township33%
West Earl township32%
West Hempfield township31%
West Lampeter township27%
Berks County35%40%40%37%36%35%41%41%40%
Chester County28%33%34%32%26%25%30%29%29%
Cumberland County33%33%33%37%33%30%33%37%36%
Dauphin County37%35%38%37%41%40%37%41%39%
Lebanon County28%33%30%36%37%37%35%43%35%
York County27%33%32%32%32%30%38%34%35%

Source: United Way








INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Increasing
Water Use Maintaining
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs Maintaining
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Increasing
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Decreasing
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2010 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Increasing
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Stable Household Budget Cost Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Increasing
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Rate of Depression Diagnosis Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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