Who Is ALICE in Galveston?
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
ALICE households earn more than the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford the basic cost of living in the county where they live. The ALICE Threshold reflects the cost of household necessities and provides a more detailed view of financial hardship than poverty data alone.
ALICE households are part of Galveston’s workforce and community. They include people working in health care, hospitality, education, retail, child care, nonprofit organizations, public service, and other sectors essential to daily life.
At United Way of Galveston, we use ALICE data to better understand local conditions, strengthen the work of community organizations, and support informed decision-making by employers, donors, funders, nonprofit leaders, and other community partners.
On the United For ALICE Texas County Reports page, select Galveston County to view local data.
The Data Helps Us See the Whole Picture
The Federal Poverty Level is an important measure, but it does not reflect the actual cost of living in a particular community.
United For ALICE provides an additional measure through the Household Survival Budget, which estimates the minimum cost of basic household necessities, including:
- Housing
- Child care
- Food
- Transportation
- Health care
- Technology
- Taxes
- Basic household expenses
The budget is adjusted for location and household composition and reflects the minimum cost of meeting basic household needs.
Comparing household income with the local cost of necessities provides a clearer picture of the financial pressures facing working households.
ALICE in Galveston County
ALICE in Galveston County
The 2024 data provides a snapshot of household financial stability across Galveston County.
35% of Galveston County households are below the ALICE Threshold
22% of households are ALICE, earning above the Federal Poverty Level but below the income needed to afford basic household expenses.
13% of households live below the Federal Poverty Level.
Together, more than one in three Galveston County households are living below the ALICE Threshold.
Galveston County at a Glance
367,407
Population
143,006
Households
$87,495
Median household income
Texas: $79,721
65%
Labor force participation rate
Texas: 66%
22%
ALICE households
Texas: 27%
13%
Households in poverty
Texas: 13%
These measures provide important context. Galveston County’s median household income is higher than the Texas average, while more than one-third of local households still fall below the income needed to consistently cover basic household expenses.
United For ALICE provides additional data on household composition, age, race and ethnicity, employment, cost of living, and changes over time.
Explore the Full Data
Visit the United For ALICE Texas County Reports and select Galveston County to explore the complete local dataset.
Using Data to Support Better Decisions
United Way of Galveston works across nonprofit organizations, employers, donors, funders, public institutions, and community leaders. That position allows us to help connect reliable information with local planning, funding, and service decisions.
ALICE data can support:
- Community-needs assessment
- Program planning and design
- Grant development
- Fundraising and donor education
- Workforce discussions
- Resource allocation
- Cross-sector planning
- Long-term tracking of household financial stability
ALICE data also helps provide context for the service needs reported by local organizations and the economic conditions affecting the households they serve.
United Way of Galveston uses data as a practical tool for understanding community conditions and supporting better-informed decisions.
Understanding Household Tradeoffs
Data provides one view of financial hardship. The Making Tough Choices simulation provides another.
The interactive experience places users in the position of a working household making decisions about employment, housing, child care, transportation, food, and other basic expenses.
The simulation demonstrates how household budgets can become constrained even when adults are employed and making careful financial decisions.
Making Tough Choices is an educational simulation. Official ALICE data and research are produced by United For ALICE.
Why ALICE Matters to United Way of Galveston
Household financial stability is connected to many other conditions.
Housing costs affect household budgets.
Transportation affects access to employment.
Child care affects a parent’s ability to work.
Health care expenses affect disposable income.
Food costs affect the resources available for rent, utilities, transportation, and other necessities.
ALICE data provides a framework for understanding these connections and examining local conditions through a shared set of measures.
It also supports several important questions:
- Who is experiencing financial pressure?
- What does it cost to meet basic needs in Galveston County?
- Which household expenses create the greatest pressure?
- Where are service gaps or unmet needs?
- How are local conditions changing over time?
- Where can coordination improve the use of existing resources?
United Way of Galveston contributes value by bringing together information, organizations, and community partners.
Our role includes sharing data, strengthening nonprofit capacity, connecting residents to resources, convening local organizations, and supporting informed planning across sectors.
A Shared Community Resource
Employers, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, funders, schools, health care providers, financial institutions, and community organizations each see a different part of the financial pressures affecting local households.
ALICE provides a common framework for examining those conditions.
United Way of Galveston will continue using ALICE data to support community learning, planning, partnership development, and resource decisions.
Meet ALICE
United Way of Galveston Lunch & Learn
Thursday, November 12, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The November Lunch & Learn will examine ALICE data for Galveston County and how it can be used by nonprofit organizations and other community partners.
Topics will include:
- The ALICE framework
- The cost of basic needs in Galveston County
- Key local data and trends
- United For ALICE data tools
- Applications for planning, fundraising, communications, and community needs assessment
Explore the Data
United For ALICE provides tools for examining household financial stability at the state and local level.
Available resources include:
County Reports
County-level household data, local trends, and geographic comparisons.
Household Survival Budgets
Estimates of the minimum cost of household necessities by location and household type.
Demographic Data
Financial hardship data across household and population groups.
Labor Force Data
Information on wages, occupations, and the relationship between employment and household costs.
Mapping and Data Tools
Interactive tools for exploring ALICE data geographically.
Turning Data Into Community Knowledge
ALICE will be an ongoing resource for United Way of Galveston.
We will continue adding local data, community perspectives, educational resources, and opportunities to learn more about the economic conditions affecting households in Galveston.
Reliable data strengthens community understanding and supports better decisions about programs, partnerships, and resources.