New report reveals 44% of Tennessee households struggle to afford basic needs

New Report Reveals 44% of Tennessee Households Struggle to Afford Basic Needs
United Way Shines Spotlight on ALICE Families in West TN Amid Rising Costs and Stagnant Wages

Jackson, TN — A new report released today by United Ways of Tennessee, in partnership with United For ALICE, reveals a sobering reality: 44% of Tennessee’s 2.85 million households cannot afford the basics of housing, food, child care, transportation, health care, and technology. This includes 14% of households living in poverty and another 30% classified as ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE families are working, sometimes multiple jobs, but still cannot afford the cost of living in their communities.

“ALICE isn’t a number — it’s your neighbor, your child’s teacher, your grocery store cashier,” said Matt Marshall, President & CEO of United Way of West Tennessee. “These are hardworking families making impossible choices between paying the light bill or going to the doctor. In West Tennessee, the gap between wages and the cost of survival continues to grow.”

Key Findings:

• The Household Survival Budget for a family of four in Tennessee is now $74,796 — more than double the federal poverty level.
• In Lake County, 69% of households fall below the ALICE Threshold — the highest in the state.
• Personal care aids, cooks, janitors, and retail workers are among the most common jobs in the state — and more than 45% of these workers are below the ALICE Threshold.
• Inflation continues to outpace wages, with basic costs climbing sharply since 2020.

Beyond the data, the report calls for collective action. “This is not a problem for nonprofits to solve alone,” said Marshall. “It’s a challenge for employers, policymakers, and neighbors to tackle together.”

What You Can Do:

-Visit www.uwwt.org/alice to learn more

-Share your story or read others at www.ALICEvoices.org

-Join United Way’s call for investment in affordable housing, accessible child care, and livable wages.

About United Way of West Tennessee
Established in 1941, United Way of West Tennessee unites communities together to find strength and share hope. Together, we rally in hard times to meet people’s needs so they can rise back up and thrive. Learn more at uwwt.org. 

About United For ALICE
United For ALICE is a U.S. research organization driving innovation, research and action to improve life across the country for ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and for all. Through the development of the ALICE measurements, a comprehensive, unbiased picture of financial hardship has emerged. Harnessing this data and research on the mismatch between low-paying jobs and the cost of survival, ALICE partners convene, advocate and collaborate on solutions that promote financial stability at local, state and national levels. This grassroots ALICE movement, led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, has spread to 35 states and the District of Columbia and includes United Ways, corporations, nonprofits and foundations in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin; we are United For ALICE. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org.

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