ALICE
®
ASSET LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED
Fall 2015
STUDY OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP
UnitedWayALICE.org/Louisiana
Regional Summary for
Southeast Louisiana
Percentage of Households below the
ALICE Threshold by Parish, Louisiana,
2013
FUNDERS AND PARTNERS
National ALICE Advisory Council
The United Way ALICE Project is partially funded and supported by the National ALICE Advisory Council, a
body of corporate and national organizations convened to elevate ALICE’s voice to a national level. The Council
is a forum for sharing experiences, developing best practices, and building innovative impact strategies to
stabilize ALICE households and our broader economy. Current members include:
AT&T | Atlantic Health System | Deloitte | Entergy | Johnson & Johnson
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation | UPS
Dear Louisianans:
Entergy and our employees are blessed to be an integral part of this state. We don’t
know what the future holds, but we do know it will need people, with imagination and
ingenuity, to unlock problems – and turn ephemeral ideas into a new reality.
Whoever we are, and wherever we came from, all of us here are looking to the next
frontier, trying to create the kind of future we want – the kind of future that offers
opportunity for all Louisiana residents.
From its very beginnings, this is a state used to hardship – we have suffered famines
and wars, storms and disasters. Every single time, the people of Louisiana, pull
together and come back stronger than before.
At Entergy, we always say that we are more than a power company – that what we do powers the lives of
the people we serve. Entergy is committed to giving back to the community, because we can only be as
strong as the communities we serve. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best when he said, “Whatever affects
one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be, until you are what you ought to be.
This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
In the decade since devastating hurricanes Katrina and Rita ripped up the Gulf coast, Entergy has
invested about $1 billion upgrading Louisiana plants and substations, and nearly $200 million hardening
transmission and distribution systems. But more importantly, we have also invested approximately
$60 million in community efforts, to create a stronger, more prosperous and sustainable Louisiana.
As one of only two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Louisiana, we take seriously our
responsibility to support efforts such as the United Way ALICE Project.
We will use this report to do our part, knowing it will take everyone working together to create a brighter
future for ALICE and indeed for all of us.
We appreciate the partnership of United Way as we work together to build stronger communities
throughout Louisiana.
Sincerely,
Patty Riddlebarger
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Entergy Corporation
Louisiana Friends of ALICE
The Louisiana Association of United Ways is grateful for the support of corporate partners who are committed
to the success of this project and helping bring the message of ALICE to the state of Louisiana. Current
Louisiana Friends of ALICE include:
DO YOU KNOW ALICE?
Of course you do. ALICE is everywhere.
From Amite to Arabi, Belle Chasse to Bogalusa, Mandeville to
Marrero, the east bank to the west bank of New Orleans—ALICE
lives in the wonderful mosaic of communities that make up
Southeast Louisiana.
ALICE is Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—a term to describe residents across Louisiana
who are working hard, yet still struggling to make ends meet. ALICE has low-paying jobs, little or no
savings, and is one emergency from falling into poverty.
ALICE represents community members working in jobs that are needed, but don’t always pay enough to
afford the basics, such as our child care teachers, home health aides, mechanics, store clerks, office
assistants and more. ALICE is men and women of all ages and races. ALICE is your customers,
constituents, neighbors—even family members and friends. ALICE is the ‘working poor’.
United Way of Southeast Louisiana, in conjunction with the Louisiana Association of United Ways,
has published the groundbreaking new study of financial hardship in our state. The United Way ALICE
Report for Louisiana reveals 695,719 households—40 percent of the state’s total—are ALICE.
More than 208,000 of ALICE households live in southeast Louisiana.
The United Way ALICE Report employs a Household Survival Budget (HSB), incorporating household
costs such as housing, food, child care, transportation, healthcare and taxes establishing a threshold for
ALICE to survive. The average HSB for ALICE households in our seven-parish region estimates
$19,248 is needed for individuals and $48,492 for a 2 parent/1 preschooler/1 infant family to afford
the bare minimum. While this exceeds the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) of $11,490 for a single adult and
$23,550 for a family of four, ALICE can barely live paycheck to paycheck.
Our goals are to give ALICE a voice, leverage the hard work of United Way and other nonprofits, and
make it clear more needs to be done to help ALICE and those living in poverty so we can build a better,
stronger Louisiana. We believe the United Way ALICE Report for Louisiana can equip communities with
information to create innovative solutions.
United Way of Southeast Louisiana plans to use the ALICE study as a framework for improving lives and
strengthening local communities. Many of the social problems in our region have the same root cause Poverty. Equipped with knowledge gained from 63 listening sessions held across our service area,
United Way of Southeast Louisiana identified poverty as its “Big Issue” going forward. We've put our
stake in the ground. We want businesses and individuals to join us in developing strategies and
partnerships to educate and empower people to help lift them out of poverty.
We thank Entergy Corporation for serving as our lead sponsor to the United Way ALICE Report for
Louisiana and as a member of the National ALICE Advisory Council with other national corporate
sponsors seeking to help ALICE across the country. We also thank JPMorgan Chase for support as a
Louisiana Friend of ALICE.
The complete United Way ALICE Report for Louisiana as well as this Regional Summary for Southeast
Louisiana can be viewed at www.unitedwaysela.org/ALICE.
Michael Williamson
President and CEO
United Way of Southeast Louisiana
Sarah Berthelot
President and CEO
Louisiana Association of United Ways
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
WHO IS ALICE?
With the cost of living higher than what most wages pay, ALICE families – an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed – work hard and earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to
afford a basic household budget of housing, child care, food, transportation, and health care. ALICE households
live in every parish in Louisiana – urban, suburban, and rural. They include women and men, young and old, of
all races and ethnicities.
In Louisiana, 695,719 households – fully 40 percent – struggled to afford basic household necessities in
2013. 208,398 households were in Southeast Louisiana.
WHO IS STRUGGLING?
While the Federal Poverty Level reports that only 19 percent of Louisiana households face financial hardship, an
additional 21 percent (368,682 households) qualify as ALICE. In Southeast Louisiana 42% of the population is
ALICE.
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ALICE HOUSEHOLDS IN
LOUISIANA?
The basic cost of living outpaces wages: The cost of basic household expenses in Louisiana is more than most
of the region’s jobs can support. The average annual Household Survival Budget for a Louisiana family of four (two
adults with one infant and one preschooler) is $42,444 – nearly double the U.S. family poverty level of $23,550.
Jobs are not located near housing that is affordable: After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and through the Great
Recession from 2007 to 2010, housing affordability fell by one-third, and job opportunities fell 9 percent. Conditions
did not improve from 2010 to 2013, so it remains difficult for ALICE households to find both housing affordability and
job opportunities in many parishes in Louisiana.
Public and private assistance helps, but doesn’t achieve financial stability: Assistance provides essential
support for households below the ALICE Threshold but cannot lift all households to economic stability. Government,
nonprofit, and health care organizations spend $10 billion on services for ALICE and poverty-level households in
Louisiana to supplement their income, but even that total is still 14 percent short of lifting all households above the
ALICE Threshold.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Low wage jobs dominate the local economy: More than 70 percent of jobs in Louisiana pay less than
$20 per hour, with most paying less than $15 per hour ($15 per hour full time = $30,000/year). These jobs –
especially service jobs that pay below $20 per hour and require only a high school education or less – will grow far
faster than higher-wage jobs over the next decade.
Population: 4,625,470 | Number of Parishes: 64 | Number of Households: 1,730,059
Median Household Income (state average): $44,164
Unemployment Rate (state average): 8%
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality) (state average): 0.49
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income
Constrained, Employed, are households that earn
Above
ALICE
more than the U.S. poverty level, but less than
Threshold
60%
the basic cost of living for the state (the ALICE
Threshold). Combined, the number of poverty and
ALICE households (40 percent) equals the total
Louisiana population struggling to afford basic needs.
Poverty
19%
ALICE
21%
Income Assessment for Louisiana
The total annual income of poverty-level and ALICE households in Louisiana is
$10.7 billion, which includes wages and Social Security. This is only 44.4 percent of
the amount needed just to reach the ALICE Threshold of $24.1 billion statewide.
Government and nonprofit assistance makes up an additional 41.7 percent, or
$10 billion, but that still leaves an Unfilled Gap of 14 percent, or $3.4 billion.
ALICE Threshold
–
Earned Income and Assistance
=
Unfilled Gap
$24.1 billion
–
$20.7 billion
=
$3.4 billion
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum Household Survival Budget does not allow for any savings, leaving
a household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very modest living
in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the U.S. poverty level of
$11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
Monthly Costs – Louisiana Average – 2013
Housing
Child Care
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
2007 – 2013
PERCENT CHANGE
$517
$713
20%
$–
$791
16%
Food
$177
$535
17%
Transportation
$347
$694
8%
Health Care
$109
$435
17%
Taxes
$161
$47
-39%
Miscellaneous
$131
$322
11%
Monthly Total
$1,442
$3,537
11%
ANNUAL TOTAL
$17,304
$42,444
11%
$8.65/hour
$21.22/hour
11%
Hourly Wage
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
2013 Point-in-Time Data
AT-A-GLANCE: LOUISIANA
AT-A-GLANCE: LOUISIANA
AT-A-GLANCE: LOUISIANA
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
AT-A-GLANCE: LOUISIANA
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Population: 4,625,470 | Number of Parishes: 64 | Number of Households: 1,730,059
Median Household Income (state average): $44,164
Unemployment Rate (state average): 8%
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality) (state average): 0.49
Louisiana Parishes, 2013
Louisiana Parishes, 2013
Parish
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
Parish
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
Acadia
22,837
45%
Allen
8,108
45%
Madison
4,068
64%
Morehouse
10,424
Ascension
40,762
57%
22%
Natchitoches
14,544
Assumption
49%
8,658
40%
Orleans
158,354
47%
Avoyelles
15,050
49%
Ouachita
56,477
45%
Beauregard
12,966
37%
Plaquemines
8,673
35%
Bienville
5,668
50%
Pointe Coupee
8,848
46%
Bossier
47,151
33%
Rapides
48,074
43%
Caddo
98,570
44%
Red River
3,320
40%
Calcasieu
76,601
40%
Richland
7,674
47%
Caldwell
3,935
42%
Sabine
9,193
45%
Cameron
2,529
25%
St Bernard
14,251
51%
Catahoula
3,767
43%
St Charles
18,190
37%
Claiborne
5,726
50%
St Helena
4,130
51%
Concordia
7,733
52%
St James
7,937
34%
De Soto
10,208
46%
St John The Baptist
15,182
40%
East Baton Rouge
168,824
35%
St Landry
31,698
49%
East Carroll
2,488
66%
St Martin
18,615
41%
East Feliciana
7,052
39%
St Mary
20,077
42%
Evangeline
12,053
47%
St Tammany
88,248
31%
Franklin
7,388
54%
Tangipahoa
46,039
42%
Grant
7,328
47%
Tensas
2,049
55%
Iberia
26,536
38%
Terrebonne
38,949
32%
Iberville
11,396
44%
Union
8,507
51%
Jackson
6,090
42%
Vermilion
21,447
36%
Jefferson
167,442
41%
Vernon
17,856
40%
Jefferson Davis
11,587
44%
Washington
17,549
51%
Lafayette
88,453
32%
Webster
15,410
46%
Lafourche
34,469
36%
West Baton Rouge
9,057
36%
La Salle
5,619
36%
West Carroll
4,130
49%
Lincoln
17,221
51%
West Feliciana
4,007
44%
Livingston
47,465
36%
Winn
5,402
46%
Sources: 2013 Point-in-Time Data: American Community Survey, 2013. ALICE demographics: American
Community Survey, 2013, and the ALICE Threshold, 2013. Income Assessment: Office of Management
and Budget, 2014; Department of Treasury, 2015; American Community Survey, 2013; National Association
of State Budget Officers, 2014; NCCS Data Web Report Builder, 2010; see Appendix E. Budget: U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,2013;
American Community Survey, 1-year estimate.
ALICE IN JEFFERSON PARISH
Jefferson Parish, 2013
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Population: 434,767 | Number of Households: 167,442
Median Household Income: $46,576 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 6.8% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.49 (state average: 0.49)
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
17%
24%
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
What are the economic conditions?
Job
Opportunities
fair (52)
Avondale
1,720
46%
Barataria
376
44%
Bridge
2,448
56%
Elmwood
2,731
28%
Estelle
5,376
32%
366
46%
Gretna
6,644
53%
Harahan
3,866
30%
Harvey
7,678
49%
701
38%
Jefferson
5,161
47%
Kenner
24,845
35%
Lafitte
491
27%
Marrero
12,261
58%
Metairie
59,686
35%
River Ridge
5,729
31%
Terrytown
8,421
46%
Timberlane
3,429
35%
Waggaman
3,445
52%
Westwego
3,689
54%
Woodmere
3,714
34%
Jean Lafitte
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
good (58)
% ALICE
&
Poverty
Grand Isle
22051
59%
Total HH
Town
Community
Resources
good (61)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$637
$935
Child Care
$–
$930
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$146
$367
Taxes
$188
$144
Monthly Total
$1,604
$4,041
ANNUAL TOTAL
$19,248
$48,492
Hourly Wage
$9.62
$24.25
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, Jefferson Parish
ALICE IN ORLEANS PARISH
Orleans Parish, 2013
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Population: 378,715 | Number of Households: 158,354
Median Household Income: $36,631 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 9.4% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.56 (state average: 0.49)
Town
New Orleans
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
158,354
48%
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
Orleans
26%
52%
22%
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
What are the economic conditions?
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
poor (1)
Job
Opportunities
poor (39)
Community
Resources
good (61)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$637
$935
Child Care
$–
$930
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$146
$367
Taxes
$188
$144
Monthly Total
$1,604
$4,041
ANNUAL TOTAL
$19,248
$48,492
Hourly Wage
$9.62
$24.25
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, Orleans Parish
ALICE IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH
Plaquemines Parish, 2013
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Population: 23,690 | Number of Households: 8,673
Median Household Income: $52,136 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 6% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.45 (state average: 0.49)
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
Town
Belle Chasse
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
4,859
27%
Boothville
325
60%
Buras
391
50%
Empire
393
48%
Port Sulphur
647
48%
22075
16%
19%
65%
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
What are the economic conditions?
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
poor (35)
Job
Opportunities
good (74)
Community
Resources
good (64)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$637
$935
Child Care
$–
$930
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$146
$367
Taxes
$188
$144
Monthly Total
$1,604
$4,041
ANNUAL TOTAL
$19,248
$48,492
Hourly Wage
$9.62
$24.25
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, Plaquemines Parish
ALICE IN ST. BERNARD PARISH
St. Bernard Parish, 2013
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Population: 41,524 | Number of Households: 14,251
Median Household Income: $41,426 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 11.5% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.43 (state average: 0.49)
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
Arabi
1,543
55%
Chalmette
6,604
55%
Meraux
1,988
35%
Poydras
796
60%
2,035
47%
Violet
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
Town
22087
19%
49%
32%
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
What are the economic conditions?
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
fair (46)
Job
Opportunities
good (54)
Community
Resources
fair (58)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$637
$935
Child Care
$–
$930
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$146
$367
Taxes
$188
$144
Monthly Total
$1,604
$4,041
ANNUAL TOTAL
$19,248
$48,492
Hourly Wage
$9.62
$24.25
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, St. Bernard Parish
ALICE IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH
St. Tammany Parish, 2013
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Population: 242,333 | Number of Households: 88,248
Median Household Income: $61,280 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 8.4% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.46 (state average: 0.49)
Abita Springs
987
25%
43%
Eden Isle
2,955
18%
279
49%
3,137
42%
359
33%
Mandeville
4,741
24%
Pearl River
865
46%
9,741
37%
122
55%
Folsom
Slidell
Sun
11%
20%
69%
% ALICE
&
Poverty
3,346
Madisonville
22103
Total HH
Covington
Lacombe
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
Town
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
What are the economic conditions?
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
poor (27)
Job
Opportunities
good (53)
Community
Resources
good (64)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$637
$935
Child Care
$–
$856
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$146
$357
Taxes
$188
$119
Monthly Total
$1,604
$3,932
ANNUAL TOTAL
$19,248
$47,184
Hourly Wage
$9.62
$23.59
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, St. Tammany Parish
ALICE IN TANGIPAHOA PARISH
Tangipahoa Parish, 2013
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Town
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
Amite
1,203
49%
Hammond
6,794
55%
Independence
690
46%
Kentwood
776
67%
Natalbany
1,017
52%
Ponchatoula
2,755
45%
Roseland
415
56%
Tangipahoa
242
59%
Tickfaw
278
41%
Population: 125,412 | Number of Households: 46,039
Median Household Income: $44,166 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 13% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.46 (state average: 0.49)
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
Tangipahoa
22%
57%
21%
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
W
hat are the economic conditions?
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
poor (41)
Job
Opportunities
poor (36)
Community
Resources
poor (53)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, Tangipahoa Parish
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$538
$819
Child Care
$–
$856
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$134
$342
Taxes
$166
$82
Monthly Total
$1,470
$3,764
ANNUAL TOTAL
$17,640
$45,168
Hourly Wage
$8.82
$22.58
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
ALICE IN WASHINGTON PARISH
Washington Parish, 2013
Town
Angie
2013 Point-in-Time Data
Total HH
% ALICE
&
Poverty
142
45%
Bogalusa
4,525
60%
Franklinton
1,405
55%
141
68%
Varnado
Population: 46,764 | Number of Households: 17,549
Median Household Income: $31,898 (state average: $44,164)
Unemployment Rate: 15.2% (state average: 8%)
Gini Coefficient (zero = equality; one = inequality): 0.49 (state average: 0.49)
How many households are struggling?
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited,
Income Constrained, Employed, are
households that earn more than the U.S.
poverty level, but less than the basic
cost of living for the parish. Combined,
the number of poverty and ALICE
households equals the total population
struggling to afford basic needs.
22117
26%
49%
25%
Poverty
ALICE
Above AT
W
hat are the economic conditions?
The Economic Viability Dashboard evaluates community conditions
for ALICE in three core areas. Each is an index with a scale of 1 (worst)
to 100 (best).
Housing
Affordability
fair (51)
Job
Opportunities
poor (33)
Community
Resources
poor (54)
What does it cost to afford the basic necessities?
This bare-minimum budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a
household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very
modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the
U.S. poverty level of $11,490 for a single adult and $23,550 for a family of four.
UNITED WAY ALICE REPORT – LOUISIANA
Household Survival Budget, Washington Parish
NOTE: Municipal-level data on this page
is for Census Places. Totals will not match
parish-level data; municipal-level data often
relies on 3- and 5-year averages and is not
available for the smallest towns that do not
report income.
SINGLE ADULT
2 ADULTS, 1 INFANT,
1 PRESCHOOLER
Housing
$467
$636
Child Care
$–
$856
Food
$177
$535
Transportation
$347
$694
Health Care
$109
$435
Miscellaneous
$125
$320
Taxes
$150
$41
Monthly Total
$1,375
$3,517
ANNUAL TOTAL
$16,500
$42,204
Hourly Wage
$8.25
$21.10
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state Treasury, and Child Care Aware,
2013; American Community Survey, 1 year estimate.
Household Income by Age, Louisiana, 2013
Households by Race/Ethnicity
and Income, Louisiana, 2013
Households below the ALICE Threshold, Largest Cities and
Towns in Louisiana, 2013
Stability vs. Survival Budget, Louisiana, 2013
Occupations by employment and wage
Consequences of Households Living below the
ALICE Threshold in Louisiana
THE UNITED WAY ALICE PROJECT
The United Way ALICE Project provides a framework, language, and tools to measure and understand the
struggles of the growing number of households in our communities who do not earn enough to afford basic
necessities, a population called ALICE. This national research initiative partners with state United Way
organizations, such as the Louisiana Association of United Ways, to deliver research-based data that can
stimulate meaningful discussion, attract new partners, and ultimately inform strategies that affect positive
change.
Based on the overwhelming success of this research in identifying and articulating the needs of this vulnerable
population, the United Way ALICE Project has grown from a pilot in Morris County, New Jersey in 2009, to the
entire state of New Jersey in 2012, and now to the national level with United Way ALICE Reports in ten states
and more on the way.
As much as one-third of the population of the United States lives in an ALICE household. Eleven Louisiana
United Ways are proud to join the some 250 United Ways from the other participating states to better
understand the struggles of ALICE. The result is that ALICE is rapidly becoming part of the common vernacular,
appearing in grant applications, in the media, and in public forums discussing financial hardship in communities
across the country.
Together, United Ways, government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations have the opportunity to evaluate
the current solutions and discover innovative approaches to give ALICE a voice, and to create changes that
improve life for ALICE and the wider community.
To access reports from all ten states, visit UnitedWayALICE.org
States with United Way ALICE Reports
Oregon
North Dakota
Montana
Washington
Minnesota
Wisconsin
South Dakota
Idaho
Wyoming
Michigan
Iowa
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
Vermont
Maine
Illinois Indiana
Utah
Colorado
California
Kansas
Missouri
Oklahoma
Arizona
Arkansas
Ohio
Tennessee
Georgia
Alabama
Louisiana
Pennsylvania
West
Virginia
Virginia
Kentucky
New Mexico
Texas
New York
North
Carolina
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
District of
Columbia
South
Carolina
Florida
Mississippi
Alaska
Hawaii
New Jersey (2012)
First Cohort (2014)
Second Cohort (2015)
THE ALICE RESEARCH TEAM
The United Way ALICE Project provides high quality, research-based information to foster a better
understanding of who is struggling in our communities. To produce the United Way ALICE Report for Louisiana,
a team of researchers collaborated with a Research Advisory Committee, composed of 19 representatives from
around Louisiana, who advised and contributed to our United Way ALICE Report. This collaborative model,
practiced in each state, ensures each United Way ALICE Report presents unbiased data that is replicable,
easily updated on a regular basis, and sensitive to local context. Working closely with United Ways, the
United Way ALICE Project seeks to equip communities with information to create innovative solutions.
Lead Researcher and National Director
Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D. is the lead researcher and national director of the United Way ALICE Project.
Dr. Hoopes’ work focuses on the political economy of the United States and specifically on the circumstances
of low-income households. Her research has garnered both state and national media attention. She began the
United Way ALICE Project as a pilot study of the low-income community in affluent Morris County, New Jersey
in 2009, and has overseen its expansion into a national initiative to more accurately measure financial hardship
in states across the country. In 2015, Dr. Hoopes joined the staff at United Way of Northern New Jersey in order
to grow this work in new and innovative ways as more and more states become involved.
Dr. Hoopes was an assistant professor at the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), Rutgers
University-Newark, from 2011 to 2015, and director of Rutgers-Newark’s New Jersey DataBank, which makes
data available to citizens and policymakers on current issues in 20 policy areas, from 2011 to 2012. SPAA
continues to support the United Way ALICE Project with access to research resources.
Dr. Hoopes has a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics, a master’s degree from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.
Research Support Team
Andrew Abrahamson
Laurie Hills, M.B.A.
Hanjin Mao, M.P.A.
Jami Thall
ALICE Research Advisory Committee for Louisiana
Gary Asmus, Ph.D.
Workforce Opportunity Services
Vicki Mack, M.H.A., Ph.D.
The Data Center
Tre Rials
New Orleans Business Alliance
Robin A. Barnes, M.P.A.
Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Clair Hebert Marceaux, PCED
Cameron Parish Policy Jury
Patty Riddlebarger
Entergy Corporation
Ali R. Bustamante
Loyola University New Orleans
Jan Moller
Louisiana Budget Project
Steven Dick, Ph.D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Dave N. Norris Jr., Ph.D.
Louisiana Tech University
Bill Rodier
St. Landry Parish Economic
Development
Barry Erwin
Council for A Better Louisiana
Alexandra Priebe
Louisiana Public Health Institute
Robert Eisenstadt, Ph.D.
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Peggy Ramey
BHP Billiton
John L. LaCour, M.S.W, retired
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Kim Hunter-Reed, D.P.P., M.P.A.
HCM Strategists
Adrienne C. Slack
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta New Orleans Branch
Monty Sullivan, Ed.D.
Louisiana Community and Technical
College System