ALICE Reports and Data

Explore the most recent data regarding financial hardships faced by households in Hawaiʻi through our detailed ALICE Reports.

2024 AUW ALICE Report: Urgent Call for Action to Support Hawai‘i’s Working Families 

The 2024 AUW ALICE Facts and Figures Report provides a revealing look at the financial struggles faced by Hawai‘i’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households, highlighting the urgent need for systemic change to address rising living costs, housing instability, and economic challenges. 

This report was released January 2025, by Aloha United Way with support from the Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation and in partnership with United For ALICE and Financial Health Network.

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Key Findings from the 2024 AUW ALICE Facts and Figures Report

Our ALICE reports reveal critical insights into the financial status of ALICE households in Hawaiʻi:

  • Fewer Households in Poverty: While households below the poverty line dropped to 12% in 2024 (from 14% in 2022), ALICE households remain steady at 29%, reflecting ongoing financial strain. 
  • Outmigration Concerns: Over one-third (37%) of households have considered leaving Hawai‘i due to high living and housing costs. 
  • Housing Insecurity: 27% of households statewide fear being forced to move within a year—a figure that jumps to 41% among ALICE households. 
  • Food Insecurity: Nearly half (46%) of ALICE households struggle with consistent food access, compared to 28% statewide. 
  • Workforce at Risk: A majority (53%) of residents under 35 years old are below the ALICE Threshold, threatening Hawai‘i’s future workforce. 
  • Maui County Hardships: ALICE households in Maui County increased by 9 percentage points since 2022, exacerbated by the August 2023 wildfires. 

The report emphasizes the need for policy interventions to stabilize families and ensure Hawai‘i residents can thrive in their communities. 

Watch The Full Press Conference

For further discussion and insights on the report, read the official AUW ALICE Report 2024 Press Release and watch the full press conference from January 9, 2025. 

Previous ALICE Reports

Explore previous ALICE reports to understand the continued experience of ALICE households in Hawaiʻi. These reports provide comprehensive data and analysis on the financial struggles faced by our community since the start of ALICE research in Hawaiʻi.

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A detailed look at the economic challenges and key statistics.

ALICE data shapes the narrative of financial hardship in Hawai‛i, helping us advocate for policy changes that uplift ALICE households. Non-profits, community organizations, and policymakers are encouraged to explore the reports and utilize the data in their own work and initiatives.

Aloha United Way, with generous financial support from the Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation and in partnership with the Financial Health Network and United For ALICE, presents a comprehensive study that offers a current financial snapshot of Hawai‘i’s households. This research is intended to meet the great need for current data that reflects the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and where Hawai‘i is now.

In this study, we find more Hawai‘i households have fallen below the ALICE Threshold, with an alarming increase in households now in poverty, from 9% in 2019 to 15% in 2022.

Households who before the pandemic were already impacted by rising costs, lack of affordable housing, living wages, and childcare were the most vulnerable during the pandemic. This report shows that the impacts of the pandemic and inflation continue to plague households today. The impacts have hit households unevenly and the report reveals key takeaways. Residents are doing more than ever to try to get by, yet many will not be able to overcome these ongoing challenges on their own.

Only 56% of Hawaiʻi’s households are above the ALICE Threshold — with enough income to cover the basics. Download the full report and learn how you can help our community change Hawaiʻi’s current course.

Survey questions for the ALICE in Hawai‛i: 2022 Facts and Figures report were guided by the Hawaii Financial Health Pulse: 2019 Survey Results – a 2019 study that assessed respondents’ financial health and wellbeing.

Analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ALICE households.

ALICE in the Crosscurrents: COVID and Financial Hardship in Hawai’i (Released 2023, based on 2021 American Community Survey data)

This report is focused on the state of ALICE Households in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides the first Household Survival Budget update since the report released on 2020. While the Federal Poverty Level increased 3% between 2019 and 2021, a family of four experienced an 18% increase in the Household Survival Budget or basic cost of essentials. During the same period, a single adult’s Household Survival Budget increased 26%.

When combined with the 2022 Facts & Figures report, a path forward begins to emerge. As a community, we must not only work to increase wages, but also do everything possible to lower household costs. The latest reports will be used in tandem to inform ALICE Cohort and ALICE Initiative efforts moving forward, including significant advocacy work supporting targeted and effective tax credits.

Facts and Figures for Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Kauaʻi, and Maui counties.

County-Specific ALICE Data

ALICE Households exist across the state and the challenges faced aren’t isolated to O‛ahu. Individuals on every island, within every community, have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cost of living in Hawai‛i. Developing new support systems and policies that help ALICE households overcome this financial and mental health crisis will require unprecedented, statewide collaboration.

For additional island-specific questions and resources, please contact Hawai‛i Island United Way, Kaua‛i United Way, and Maui United Way.

ALICE Methodology

Research for The 2024 update of the ALICE report uses a detailed methodology to ensure accurate and reliable data on ALICE households. The methodology includes the latest data from: