The State of ALICE in WEST VIRGINIA
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Key Findings
Financial Hardship: Of West Virginia's 730,791 households, 17% (125,865) were below the FPL, and another 28% (204,987) were ALICE — households with income above the FPL, but not enough to afford the ALICE Household Survival Budget for their household composition and location. Combining these two groups, 45% (330,852) of households were below the ALICE Threshold. The number of ALICE households in West Virginia remained consistently high between 2010 and 2024, hovering at around 200,000 households. The number of households in poverty and the total number of households in the state decreased slightly during the same period.
The cost of basics: In West Virginia, the ALICE Household Survival Budget was $28,332 for a single adult and $78,156 for a family of four with two adults, an infant, and a preschooler — much higher than the FPL ($15,060 for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four). Basic costs varied substantially by county. The annual Household Survival Budget costs for a single adult were highest in Hampshire County and lowest in Webster County. For a family of four, costs were highest in Hampshire County and lowest in Logan County.
ALICE demographics: There were households below the ALICE Threshold across all Census-reported demographic groups in West Virginia. And as in every state, some populations experienced higher levels of financial hardship. This reflects both longstanding and ongoing policies and discriminatory practices in areas of work, housing, education, and access to community resources that limit financial stability for many families. In 2024, the groups with the highest percentage of households below the Threshold included American Indian/Alaska Native households (62%), Black households (59%), and households headed by someone of Two or More Races (52%); households headed by people under age 25 (69%) and age 65 and over (53%); single-parent-headed households (77% single-female-headed, 60% single-male-headed); and households in rural areas (49%). In West Virginia, there was also a notable increase over time (2010–2024) in the total number of households headed by someone age 65+, as well as the number of age 65+ households living below the ALICE Threshold.
ALICE in the labor force: Of the 10 largest industry sectors (by total workers), financial hardship was highest in Accommodation and Food Services, with 48% of workers living in households below the ALICE Threshold. By occupation, rates of financial hardship were as high as 56% for Nursing Assistants and 54% for Cashiers, two of the most common occupations in the state.
Data Notes
The data included in this Report spans 2010 to 2024 (latest available). This data does not reflect the impact of policy or funding changes that have occurred since 2024, yet it provides an important baseline and context to inform current conversations and decision making. The income data used in this Report relies on ACS estimates. The ACS is based on a representative sample of housing units and people; therefore, these estimates have a degree of uncertainty. Some data points are geographic averages; others are one- or five-year averages depending on population size (these are reported in the Data Sheet). Percentages are rounded to whole numbers, sometimes resulting in percentages totaling 99% or 101%.
ALICE Threshold analysis includes all households regardless of work status, as employment is fluid and most households have members who are working, have worked, are out on disability, or are looking for work. This analysis includes families and roommates but does not include people who are unhoused or living in group quarters (such as college residence halls, skilled nursing facilities, and military barracks). State-level population totals are a summation of county-level estimates.
To provide additional details on household assets, this Report also includes analysis of the Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) (2024).