New data reveals over 81,000 Greenville County households struggle to afford the basics
August 9, 2026
The United Way of Greenville County has released its latest ALICE report which found 35% of local households earn too little to cover essential costs, even as many work full time.
Newly released data from United For ALICE, a nationwide research initiative led by United Way, shows that 35% of Greenville County households, more than 81,000 in all, did not earn enough in 2024 to afford basic necessities like housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care and a cellphone plan.
The figures come from the 2024 ALICE Report and represents the latest data that is available. The report measures financial hardship beyond the Federal Poverty Level. ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, describes households that earn above the poverty line but still can’t make ends meet. In Greenville County, 10% of households (about 23,700) lived below the poverty level, while another 25% (roughly 58,100) qualified as ALICE.
These are working households—childcare providers, food service workers, first responders and others doing important work in our community—who face rising costs for essential goods such as gas and groceries. In Greenville County, a single adult needed to earn about $34,848 a year just to cover the basics in 2024, while a family of four with two children in childcare needed roughly $82,800. Both figures far exceed the Federal Poverty Level of $15,060 for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four.
The data reveals that hardship is not evenly shared. The share of households below the ALICE threshold ranged from 53% in eastern Greenville (ZIP code 29611) to 22% in Simpsonville (29681). Some groups faced steeper challenges than others: 70% of households headed by single women with children, 57% of households headed by someone under 25 and 52% of those headed by someone 65 or older fell below the threshold.
“These numbers represent our neighbors, our coworkers and the people who keep our community running every day,” said Meghan Barp, president and CEO of United Way of Greenville County. “ALICE families are working hard, often at more than one job and still finding themselves one unexpected expense away from crisis. This data gives us a clearer picture of financial hardship in Greenville County and strengthens our resolve to build partnerships and solutions that help these households move from barely getting by to getting ahead.”
The issue resonates personally for Matthew Cabe, president and CEO of Michelin North America, Inc. and United Way of Greenville County’s 2026 Community Campaign Chair, who comes from a family of educators and has spoken about how their work shaped his own commitment to expanding opportunity. “Strong communities are built when people have the opportunity to succeed,” said Cabe. “The ALICE data underscores the importance of coming together as one community to address barriers to access and create meaningful experiences that help individuals and families build brighter futures.”
The ALICE data is intended to help local leaders, nonprofits, employers and policymakers target resources and design strategies that promote long-term financial stability. United Way of Greenville County uses the findings to guide its work and to convene cross-sector partners around shared solutions. Visit unitedwaygc.org/alice to learn more and be part of the conversation shaping Greenville County’s response to ALICE.
About United Way of Greenville County
United Way of Greenville County mobilizes people and resources to improve lives, strengthen the community and advance equity for the benefit of all. Join the movement for a stronger Greenville County at unitedwaygc.org.
About United For ALICE
United For ALICE is a nonpartisan research movement providing a framework, data and tools to measure and understand financial hardship across the country. Launched in 2009, it now includes partners in 41 states and the District of Columbia.
