ALICE is an acronym to describe households who are the “working poor.” They are those working every single day but struggle to provide for their families. They are consistently living on the edge and often a flat tire away from financial trouble.

​The Median Household Income across our 15-county service area in West Tennessee is $43,341, which is over $20,000 less than our state median. ​The total percentage of households categorized as either ALICE or living in poverty is 51%, which is roughly every other person you meet. 

Over 50% of households in West Tennessee are either ALICE (32%) or living in poverty (19%). Significant disparities exist when broken down by category of race or gender of the head of household. ​

This information matters because ​a huge but hidden population is financially struggling. These numbers represent over 84,000 households or roughly 227,000 people here in West Tennessee. ​

The success of our community is directly related to the financial well-being and stability of its members.

Below are the Top 10 Most Common Jobs in Jackson, Tennessee - a hub city many West Tennesseans travel to for work. The average salary is only $39,000 while only three of the listed jobs produce more than $30,000 a year. These numbers demonstrate that many work jobs which make it difficult to maintain a stable budget. Jackson's salary rates are higher compared to the rest of the region.

One issue is the level of educational attainment across our region. There is a prominent financial contrast in households with higher levels of education achievement compared to those with only a high school education or less. According to The Sycamore Institute, only 15.95% of residents in West Tennessee have attained a bachelor’s degree.

Individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn approximately $21,000 more across our state than those who with just a high school diploma. There is also a $14,000 median difference between those with a bachelor’s degree and those who have a graduate degree or higher.