There’s surviving, and then there’s thriving — and a new national study sifted through the numbers to show the difference for many families struggling to cover their costs every month.
According to the United Ways of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, data collected in 2021 showed 28% of the residents in each jurisdiction fall within what researchers refer to as the “ALICE” category.
That is, they are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and earn more than the federal poverty level yet not enough to cover the cost of the basics, from rent, to transportation, to food and child care.
Franklyn Baker with the United Way of Central Maryland explained, “These are people who are not below the federal poverty level; they’re working,” but he said, “they just can’t keep pace with their state’s high cost of living.” Baker said that while COVID-related aid helped many from falling further behind, as those benefits dry up, households face continued pressures from the cost of living in their areas.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Kate Ryan over at WTOP
