Nov. 19 webinar will cover United Way report finding 37% of Alaska households fall short

United Way of Anchorage and Alaska Children's Trust will walk through the findings of the 2026 ALICE in Alaska report in a webinar Nov. 19 from 1 to 2 pm AKST. The report counts 101,379 Alaska households, or 37.4%, that could not cover basic costs in 2024.

That total includes 8.8% of households below the official poverty line and 28.6% above it. The report says Alaska's rate is below the 41% national average and ranks 17th lowest among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed: working households that earn more than the federal poverty level but not enough for housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology. The webinar announcement describes them as child care workers, home health aides, cashiers and delivery drivers, and says many earn too much to qualify for help.

A family of four needed $98,364 in 2024, compared with an adjusted federal poverty level of $39,000. Alaska News reported Sept. 28 that by the report's measure, a two-income family with two small kids came up nearly $12,000 short.

Hardship was highest in the Kusilvak Census Area, where 73% of households fell below the threshold. So did 60% of American Indian and Alaska Native households, 69% of single-female-headed families with children and 67% of households headed by someone under 25. Only 18% of ALICE households used the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The webinar will cover the ALICE data and how people can use it in their work. The national United For ALICE project also has an online tool showing what basics cost in each Alaska community.