A new report from United Way of Central Ohio and United For ALICE reveals a troubling truth: 25% of workers in Ohio’s 20 most common jobs lived in households that couldn’t afford life’s basics in 2023.
View the data for Franklin County.
These workers—home health aides, fast food staff, nursing assistants and others—are essential to our community. Yet they often earn too much to qualify for assistance, and too little to cover rent, food, child care, transportation, health care and taxes.
The State of ALICE in Franklin County report shows that while 14% of households officially live in poverty, another 25% are what we call ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. That’s 39% of all households in the county living below the basic cost of living threshold.
“When we underestimate how many households are struggling, we underestimate what it takes to build thriving communities,” said Lisa Courtice, President and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio. “It’s not just an ALICE problem, it’s a community problem.”
To cover the basics in Ohio in 2023, a family of four needed to earn $79,224. But two parents working full time in common jobs still came up more than $13,000 short.
Other key findings:
● Ohio ranks 18th in the nation for financial hardship.
● Young and older households face the most financial strain.
● Housing costs are a major burden—68% of renters and 51% of homeowners below the ALICE threshold spend over 30% of their income on housing.
ALICE families often feel invisible, but this data gives them a voice and communities the tools to respond.
Explore the full data in Ohio and find ways to take action at https://unitedforalice.org/key-findings/ohio.
