COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Over one-third of Ohio households could not afford basic expenses in 2024, a new report found.
National research and advocacy group United for ALICE released a new report last week that found more than 1.7 million households in Ohio struggled financially in 2024. The report includes data from both those under the federal poverty line and for ALICE households, or Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed households, which earn more than the federal poverty level but not enough to afford basic expenses where they live.
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Unlike the federal poverty level, which uses a blanket base income for all 48 continental states, ALICE uses a different threshold for each county based on that location’s average living costs. ALICE tracks the cost of housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, technology, taxes and miscellaneous other necessities to calculate the minimum income needed to live and work in a set area. It does not include things like savings, eating out, new clothes or other common added costs.
United Way of Central Ohio, a social welfare group that’s been in Columbus for over 100 years, partnered with United for ALICE on the report. Like Ohio, United Way of Central Ohio said 37% of Franklin County households fell under the federal poverty level or ALICE threshold, — more than 133,000 households in Franklin County…