76 percent increase in Washington State's Asset Limited Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households

OLYMPIA—When COVID-19 hit, just over 670,000 Washington households were already one emergency away from financial ruin—a 10-year record high— setting the stage for the unprecedented economic impact of the crisis, according to the state’s latest Asset Limited Income Constrained, Employed Report (ALICE) released on Tuesday, June 16 by United Ways of the Pacific Northwest, in partnership with United For ALICE.

Over the last decade, Washington’s low-income families systematically lost buying power and financial stability as the high cost of essentials outpaced wages, driving the number of ALICE ho...