Across east central Indiana, thousands of families are doing what communities have long asked of them: working, caring for their loved ones, paying bills, and contributing to local life. Yet new ALICE data shows that 46% of households in Heart of Indiana United Way’s five-county service area fall below the ALICE Threshold. That is about 63,254 households, nearly half of all households.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are households earning above the Federal Poverty Level but still not enough to afford the basics: housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care, and technology. Many are working full-time. Some hold more than one job. Many are the workers every community depends on.
For ALICE households, the challenge is familiar: one car repair, medical bill, rent increase, or missed shift can turn a tight month into a crisis. That is not a failure of effort. It is a sign that wages, costs, and eligibility systems are out of step with real life.
The numbers should get our attention. In our region, Madison, Delaware, Henry, Fayette, and Randolph Counties 30% of households are ALICE and another 16% live below the Federal Poverty Level. Madison County’s rate is 48%, the second highest in the state. Statewide 38% of Indiana households—more than 1 million—cannot make ends meet.
The reason is not hard to see. The ALICE Essentials Index shows that the cost of basic necessities in Indiana rose more than 61% between 2007 and 2024—faster than overall inflation. Meanwhile, the Federal Poverty Level still used to determine many supports does not reflect what it actually costs to live and work today.
In 2024, the minimum cost for a single adult to live and work in Indiana was $28,764. For a family of four with two adults, an infant, and a preschooler, it was $74,028. Those figures are far above the poverty measures that too often decide whether families qualify for help.
This should challenge outdated assumptions about poverty and work. Many people who are struggling are already working, budgeting carefully, and doing everything they can. Employment alone does not guarantee stability when paychecks cannot keep pace with the rising cost of essentials.
The response must be equally practical. Employers can examine wages, benefits, schedules, and pathways for advancement. Policymakers can use local cost-of-living data when shaping decisions. Nonprofits, faith communities, civic leaders, and neighbors can strengthen supports that help families stay housed, employed, healthy, and connected.
At Heart of Indiana United Way, we use ALICE data to work with partners on solutions that meet today’s needs and build stability for tomorrow. But data alone is not enough. We must also listen to ALICE workers and households, because the people closest to the challenge often know best what would help.
ALICE households are not strangers. They are our neighbors, coworkers, friends, family members—and many of us ourselves. If nearly half of our households are struggling, this is not someone else’s problem. It belongs to all of us.
If this data reflects your household, you are not alone, and your experience matters. If you can help, your voice, time, and support matter too.