Poverty On The Peninsula

From the Third Avenue Friday Discussion Group I had the opportunity to meet the Executive Director of United Way of Door County. 

Some takeaways.

Total Population:  30,038  Number of Households:  13,841

Median Household Income:  $68,257 (state average:  $70,996)

Labor Force Participation Rate:  58.3%  (state average:  65.1%)

ALICE Households:  25% (state average:  24%)

Households in Poverty:  9%  (state average:  11%)

Financial Hardship over Time

ALICE is an acronym for Assert Limited Income Constrained, Employed - households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county (the ALICE Threshold).  Households below the ALICE Threshold - Alice households plus those in poverty cannot afford the essentials.

Households move below or above the ALICE Threshold as economic factors and circumstances change.  This was especially true amid the economic tumult of the COVID pandemic, with higher wages , inflation and additional pandemic assistance.  By 2022, 4,772 households (34%) were below the ALICE Threshold in Door County.

The Cost of Basics Outpaces Wages 

The Household Survival Budget reflects the minimum cost to live and work in the current economy and includes housing, child care, food, transportation, healthcare, technology and taxes.  It does not include savings  for emergencies or future goals like college or retirement.  The Household Survival Budget  is calculated at the county level and by household composition, as costs can vary greatly depending on location and household needs.

In 2022, household costs in Door County were will above the Federal Poverty Level of $13,590 for a single adult and $27,750 for a family of four.

ALICE Household Survival Budget Calculator, Door County, Wisconsin, 2022

2 Adults, 1 Infant (Age 0-2), 1 Preschooler (Age 3-4)

click on image to enlarge

To see costs for different household compositions in any Wisconsin County, visit this link.