SEE OUR IMPACT
ALICE
NEW NJ ALICE REPORT
In 2023, 32% of workers in New Jersey’s 20 most common jobs lived in households that couldn’t afford the basics. These workers – the backbone of every community – include personal care aides, janitors, waiters and waitresses, cashiers and laborers and movers. While low-income workers have seen their wages grow this decade, it’s still been no match for the rising cost of basics, according to the 2025 State of ALICE in New Jersey Report.
In addition to the 359,444 New Jersey households in poverty in 2023, another 1,018,576 were ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), earning above the Federal Poverty Level but less than what’s needed to survive in the current economy. In total, 1,378,020 — 39% — struggle to make ends meet. This rate placed New Jersey 20th among all states and the District of Columbia (with 1st representing the lowest rate of hardship).
ALICE workers, essential to our economy and our lives, continue to be overlooked and undercounted by traditional poverty measures.
HELP US HELP ALICE
Equipped with this ALICE data, we can do even better to develop effective policies and track our progress toward reducing financial hardship in New Jersey.
The crux of the decade-long struggle for ALICE families remains the gap between wages and expenses. The cost of living for a family of four with an infant and a preschooler rose to $111,504 in 2023.
Now, more than ever, we need action. Can we count on you?
WHO IS ALICE?
As leaders across the country talk daily about the low-income workers essential to our economy, our United Way developed the ALICE name and measurements in 2009 to shine a spotlight on this group. It represents hardworking families who have been left behind — unable to afford the basics of housing, food, child care, health care, technology, and transportation. Despite working hard as our nation’s child care educators, home health aides, and cashiers, ALICE lives paycheck to paycheck and is one emergency away from falling into financial ruin.
3,693,490
Retail sales workers in U.S. earning $29,120 per year
Meet ALICE
WHY ALICE MATTERS
ALICE essential workers are integral to our community. And as the pandemic showed us, many of them are the essential workers who kept our economy and our way of life going. We continue to rely on ALICE workers every day — from the child care educator to the grocery store clerk to the delivery person to the home health aide.
But what happens when cash-strapped ALICE households are forced to make impossible choices such as deciding between a car repair or quality child care, heat or a prescription? These short-term decisions have long-term consequences not only for ALICE, but for all of us.
ALICE ACROSS THE U.S.
While we first placed the spotlight on ALICE in New Jersey, the challenges faced by these households extend across the country. Struggling ALICE households can be found in every state — in wealthy suburbs, big cities, and small towns. A grassroots movement we call United For ALICE has grown to serve as a champion for ALICE families.
Using a standardized methodology, our United For ALICE research arm assesses the cost of living in every state, providing a comprehensive look at financial hardship throughout the country that is more accurate than traditional federal poverty guidelines.
Through this data and grassroots movement, United For ALICE is helping to give ALICE a national voice. The ALICE movement, led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, now includes United Ways, corporations, and foundations in 35 states and the District of Columbia, as seen in the map. United, we are changing the national dialogue about financial hardship.
ALICE IN THE NEWS
Since shining a spotlight on ALICE households in one suburban county in 2009, we have gone on to raise awareness of struggling families throughout the state. See below for some key news highlights. For more stories about our work, click here.
OP-ED
We have a road map to help thousands of hard-working people in N.J. living near the edge, United Way says
COLUMN
OPINION
UNITED WAY FIGHTS FOR ALICE
The success of our community depends on the financial stability of ALICE. Through our work, United Way of Northern New Jersey is helping to ensure a future where ALICE can achieve racial and economic equity. Because when ALICE succeeds, we all win.
$100
20 Preschoolers get books to boost literacy
$250
10 ALICE families receive free tax prep and filing services
$500
One month of affordable early education for an ALICE family
$1500
Home technology for 5 family caregivers to help better manage work and caregiving responsibilities
WE ARE INSPIRING OTHERS TO FIGHT FOR ALICE
Through raising funds and awareness, United Way is helping those in the community who are facing financial insecurity despite working sometimes two jobs and still not affording basic necessities.
– C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers University women’s basketball coach, Basketball Hall of Fame member, and former United Way of Northern New Jersey Women United honorary chair