NEW ORLEANS – As Southeast Louisiana enters another hurricane season, new data from United For ALICE, in partnership with United Way of Southeast Louisiana, confirms a troubling reality: nearly half of households across the region are already struggling to afford the basic cost of living, leaving families, neighborhoods and the broader community more vulnerable before the next storm ever forms.
The latest State of ALICE report shows that 49% of southeast Louisiana households – 262,504 households total – lived below the ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Threshold of Financial Survival in 2024. These households earned less than the basic costs of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, technology and taxes.
“In Southeast Louisiana, household stability and regional resilience are deeply connected,” said Michael Williamson, UWSELA president and CEO. “When nearly half of our households are already struggling to afford the basics, they’re also less able to prepare for an evacuation, absorb a missed paycheck, make a home repair or recover from the unexpected. That affects our workforce, schools, health systems, neighborhoods and our ability to weather whatever comes next.”
Traditional measures of poverty continue to severely undercount the number of households in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes living in financial hardship. In 2024, 17% of Southeast Louisiana households lived below the Federal Poverty Level. But the research shows an additional 32% were ALICE, meaning they earned above the Federal Poverty Level but less than what it costs to afford essentials.
Across the nation, Louisiana ranked 51st in household financial instability compared to all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the second straight year, matching southeast Louisiana’s 49%.
The challenge for ALICE households is the widening gap between wages and expenses. In 2024, a Southeast Louisiana family of four needed $87,636 just to cover the essentials, nearly three times the Federal Poverty Level of $31,200. Yet even with both parents working full time in two of Louisiana’s most common jobs – a cook and a personal care aide – the family’s combined income still fell short of the cost of basics by $44,996.
That gap forces families into impossible choices: paying rent or buying groceries, covering child care or missing work, filling a prescription or keeping up with utility bills. And because ALICE households often earn too much to qualify for public assistance, many are left without support despite living paycheck to paycheck.
“The ALICE research shows that the affordability crisis is not new,” said Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., National Director at United For ALICE. “Already stretched thin, ALICE families have no cushion for rising gas or utility costs – forcing tough tradeoffs with other necessities. That’s the insight policymakers and community leaders need to build a stronger future for ALICE and all.”
As Southeast Louisiana moves deeper into hurricane season, the data underscores why financial stability must be part of any serious conversation about disaster preparedness and community resilience. Families who cannot afford the basics often cannot set aside money for emergency supplies, evacuation costs, temporary housing, insurance deductibles, repairs or missed wages.
“Preparing families for the storms of life and nature has to happen year-round, not just when a storm is in the Gulf,” Williamson said. “That means helping households build stability before a crisis and having the partnerships, infrastructure, policy, and resources in place to respond at the speed of need when one occurs. We urge our neighbors to take advantage of the workshops and resources we’re offering now to be better prepared for the season ahead.”
United Way is using the latest ALICE data to deepen its year-round work helping households become more financially secure, resilient and prepared for the future.
Through its Prosperity Centers, United Way offers publicly available monthly programming on financial education topics that help individuals and families strengthen their financial footing, plan ahead and build long-term stability.
The United Way of Southeast Louisiana Resiliency Center – founded by Rebuilding Together New Orleans serves as a permanent, storm-hardened hub for disaster preparedness and response. As part of that work, United Way will host Resiliency Weekend activities from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 13, at the Resiliency Center, including a resource fair and preparedness workshop, connecting residents with preparedness resources and practical tools ahead of the height of hurricane season.
United Way encourages residents, policymakers, employers, community organizations and advocates to explore the latest regional findings at UnitedWaySELA.org/ALICE and access additional tools and interactive dashboards at UnitedForALICE.org.
The public can learn more about upcoming preparedness and financial education events at UnitedWaySELA.org/Calendar.
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About United Way of Southeast Louisiana
For more than 100 years, United Way of Southeast Louisiana has been a leader and trusted partner in improving lives and strengthening communities across Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. United Way mobilizes people, partners and resources to help all people thrive, with work focused on Youth Opportunity, Healthy Communities, Financial Security and Community Resiliency. Learn more and give at UnitedWaySELA.org. Follow us on social: @UnitedWaySELA.
About United For ALICE
United For ALICE is a U.S. research organization driving innovation, research and action to improve life across the country for ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and for all. Through the development of the ALICE measurements, a comprehensive, unbiased picture of financial hardship has emerged. Harnessing this data and research on the mismatch between low-paying jobs and the cost of survival, ALICE partners convene, advocate and collaborate on solutions that promote financial stability at local, state and national levels. This grassroots ALICE movement, led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, has spread to 41 states and the District of Columbia and includes United Ways, corporations, nonprofits and foundations in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin; we are United For ALICE. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org. Wisconsin; we are United For ALICE. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org.