NEW ALICE DATA SHOWS RISING COST OF BASICS HISTORICALLY OUTPACES OVERALL INFLATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA
- United Way
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The cost of household necessities in South Carolina rose faster than inflation for more than 15 years, leaving many households vulnerable to the growing affordability crisis, according to new data from United For ALICE, in partnership with United Way of Florence County.
The latest State of ALICE report for South Carolina includes data from the ALICE Essentials Index, which tracks the rising costs of only six basics families need to live and work: housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care and technology. Between 2007 and 2024, the ALICE Essentials Index for South Carolina increased 65%, compared with 52% for the broader Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reports inflation across more than 200 categories of goods and services.
The report highlights the growing financial strains on the demographic known as ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). With income above the Federal Poverty Level but unable to afford basic expenses, 53,782 households were ALICE in 2024. When combined with households in poverty, 45% of all households in Florence County fell below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival.
“Behind these numbers are families making impossible choices every day — between groceries and utilities, child care and rent,” said Cameron Campbell, President of United Way of Florence County. “The ALICE data helps guide our work with partners across Florence County, so we can respond to immediate needs and help build stronger paths to stability.”
The crux of the struggle for ALICE families is the gap between wages and expenses. In 2024, a family of four in Florence County needed $76,320 just to cover the essentials — nearly two and a half times the Federal Poverty Level of $31,200. Yet even with both parents working full time in two of the state’s most common jobs — a cook and a teller — this family’s combined income still fell short of the cost of basics by $11,344.
The State of ALICE in South Carolina also reveals that in 2024:
South Carolina ranked 35th in financial hardship among all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, with one of the nation’s highest percentages of households struggling to make ends meet.
ALICE households were found in every major industry statewide, with the highest levels of hardship in food service and accommodation (43%), retail trade (33%), and administrative support & waste management (32%).
Poverty rates in Florence County have remained relatively flat since 2010, while the number of ALICE households has increased.
Minimum-wage workers in South were paid a hourly wage of $7.25 an hour in 2024, yet for one full-time adult worker with one school-age child, that wage still was not enough to support the ALICE Household Survival Budget, the minimum cost of basics, in any county across South Carolina.
“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.”
More state and local data is available through the interactive dashboards on UnitedForALICE.org/South-Carolina.
About United Way of Florence County
United Way works to create positive change across Florence County by deeply and strategically investing in local nonprofit programs that support youth opportunity, community health, and financial security.
United Way brings together donors, businesses, nonprofits, and residents to address the community’s greatest needs and create lasting impact. In addition to offering nonprofit grants, the organization connects residents to important services through the 211 resource referral line, supports nonprofit collaboration through the Florence County Collective, and organizes Day of Caring, the county’s largest annual volunteer event.
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.
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