ALICE in Hawai‘i: 2022 Facts and Figures is a report by the Aloha United Way, partnered with the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Financial Health Network, and United for ALICE, and supported by the Bank of Hawaiʻi Foundation. This report provides a financial snapshot of households in Hawaiʻi and is intended to guide action for policymakers, businesses, and the community.
ALICE stands for “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed” and represents households with income above the Federal Poverty Level but below the basic cost of living. The ALICE threshold represents the average income required to afford the basic necessities for living.
The ALICE study was conducted by Anthology Research. This local research firm surveyed 2,391 full-time Hawaiʻi residents from July 1, 2022, through September 13, 2022, using a stratified sampling approach.*
Below are some highlights from ALICE in Hawaiʻi: 2022 Facts and Figures:
- 44% of households were below the ALICE threshold (29% were ALICE and 15% were below the Federal Poverty Level).
- Households below the ALICE threshold were more likely to
- Have children in the household (54% of households with children are below the ALICE threshold).
- Live in larger households (65% of households with 3+ occupants are below the ALICE threshold).
- While the top 3 challenges were the same across all income levels, ALICE households were
- About 3 times more likely to report difficulty paying household expenses (31% for below ALICE, 11% for above ALICE)
- About 2 times more likely to report difficulty paying off debts (31% for below ALICE, 16% for above ALICE)
- About 30% more likely to report having mental health issues (33% for below ALICE, 25% for above ALICE)
- Overall, nearly half of Hawai‘i households say they are “just getting by” (33%) or “finding it difficult to get by” (15%). Fewer than one in five (18%) households are “living comfortably.”
View the full reports here:
- ALICE in Hawai‘i: 2022 Facts and Figures
- ALICE in Hawaiʻi: 2022 Facts and Figures, Hawaiʻi County at a Glance
- ALICE in Hawaiʻi: 2022 Facts and Figures, Honolulu County at a Glance
- ALICE in Hawaiʻi: 2022 Facts and Figures, Kauaʻi County at a Glance
- ALICE in Hawaiʻi: 2022 Facts and Figures, Maui County at a Glance
*Note that in previous years, the ALICE study utilized data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The change in the 2022 methodology was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
