When Pueblo's Heart Beats, Every Household Matters
At United Way Pueblo County, we hold a steadfast belief: families achieving financial stability are the cornerstone of a thriving Pueblo. When families rise, our community flourishes.
But for too many Pueblo households, stability remains just out of reach. Across our city and county, countless individuals are working tirelessly, yet the cost of living still pushes them to the brink.
Meet Alice:
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
ALICE households are made up of people we all know: childcare workers, grocery associates, home healthcare workers, teachers, mechanics, and so many others. They are hardworking and often working more than one job, but still can't afford the basics, things like housing, food, childcare, transportation, and health care.
They earn too much to qualify for most public assistance, but not enough to make ends meet. These families live paycheck to paycheck, constantly forced to make tough choices like whether to pay the electric bill or buy groceries.
In short, ALICE families are working hard, but falling short.
They are essential to our community’s success, yet are often overlooked in traditional poverty statistics. By understanding ALICE, we can better support the real people behind the numbers and build a stronger, more resilient community for everyone.
Pueblo’s Hidden Struggle: A Story Told in the Numbers
Imagine nearly half of Pueblo County households, each working hard, each striving, each vulnerable. That’s the story ALICE data tells:
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A staggering 47% of households in Pueblo County are income-constrained, above the federal poverty line, yet unable to meet the basics like housing, food, healthcare, and transportation.
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Among these, 31% are ALICE households, earning more than poverty-level wages but still unable to make ends meet.
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16% live at or below the poverty threshold.
These statistics aren’t just numbers; they represent the nurses, teachers, small business employees, single parents, and neighbors who shoulder the pride and struggles of our community. Their everyday efforts echo from our schools to our hospitals to our small businesses.
Why Pueblo’s ALICE Story Matters
Traditional poverty metrics only capture part of the picture, those below the federal poverty line. But the ALICE report uncovers a wider truth: that nearly half of Pueblo households are fighting to stay afloat.
This data reveals the tension between aspiration and affordability. It helps us see the human stories behind the statistics, stories of resilience, of families stretched thin by rising costs, of concerns about rent, utilities, childcare, and health care.
Turning Data Into Action: How We Show Up for Pueblo
At United Way Pueblo County, ALICE data isn’t just information, it’s a call to action:
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Program Design with Compassion
We design programs with ALICE in mind, ensuring that eligibility aligns with the true cost of living, so we meet families where they actually are, not where they're implied to be. -
Targeted Investments
When we see that nearly half of households are income-constrained, we focus our collaboration and support on middle school mentoring, community collaboration initiatives, and financial coaching, tailoring aid to the everyday pressures families face. -
Elevating Voices, Building Solutions
ALICE data helps us foster partnerships with local leaders, service providers, and residents. Together, we move from highlighting hardship to creating real pathways to stability.
These efforts are grounded in empathy but guided by robust, localized data.
The Human Side of the Data
Behind every number is a story worth telling:
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A single mother who delays filling prescriptions to make rent.
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A teacher taking on second jobs just to keep up with rising grocery prices.
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A caregiver skipping meals so the heat stays on for her kids.
ALICE shines a light on these stories, not as exceptions, but as reflections of structural gaps we have the power to bridge.
Pueblo’s Promise: Rising Together
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Data-driven empathy
ALICE gives us the clarity to build empathy grounded in reality. We can no longer overlook those stretched too thin. -
Solutions that work
Our programs, and the stories they support, are informed by data that reflects real expenses, real families, and real needs. -
Partnerships that matter
With ALICE data as our guide, we collaborate with local businesses, nonprofits, schools, and civic leaders, because lifting up Pueblo requires collective effort.
Join Us in Empowering Every Puebloan
We invite you to explore the ALICE report for Pueblo County and the broader Colorado context via our Public Dashboard.
Together, let’s create a Pueblo where every family isn’t just surviving, but thriving. Where gratitude meets action. Where resilience is met with real opportunity