New ALICE Report shows 35,557 households (33%) in Frederick County cannot afford basic needs such as housing, transportation, childcare, food, health care and technology.
The ALICE Report is a comprehensive look at working individuals and families who are unable to afford a basic cost of living in their communities. The 2025 ALICE Report provides a look at the extent of financial hardship in Maryland using ALICE metrics from data available in 2023. As our community continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepares to weather new storms, United Way of Frederick County and its research partner United for ALICE remain committed to providing the strongest and most up-to-date local data possible on ALICE in Maryland and in Frederick County.
Between 2022 and 2023, the number of households in poverty in Frederick County increased by 402 (6% of all households) and the number of ALICE households increased by 2,017 (to 27% of all households). This marks a shift from the 2024 update where we saw decreases in both the total number of households in each category as well as the percentage of total households. With many safety nets put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic now fully expired, the data has begun to reflect the true extent of hardship for our Frederick County ALICE residents.
In 2023, of the 107,332 households in Frederick County, 35,557 — 33% — were below the ALICE Threshold and unable to afford a basic cost of living in our community.
With an ever-changing economic and public policy landscape, the story of ALICE is still unfolding in the 2025 ALICE Report. ALICE researchers at United for ALICE remain committed to providing the most up-to-date local data possible on financial hardship in Frederick, Maryland and across the U.S.
At the local level, United Way of Frederick County is working closely with Data Driven Frederick to understand the decrease in local ALICE households within our community. When we can acknowledge the top factors for this shift, we can help our local government and nonprofit community better serve our ALICE neighbors.
*It's important to note that the available data in this ALICE Report spans from 2010 - 2023. This data does not reflect policy or funding changes that have occurred since, yet it provides an important baseline and context to inform conversations and decision making.
To learn more about the state of ALICE throughout Maryland and Frederick County, we encourage you to view the reports and economic viability dashboards available at UnitedForALICE.org.
When provided a box to "Select County", be sure to select "Frederick County" to view localized data.
.png)
20% of Frederick County’s 15,750 veterans struggle to afford basic needs, according to a new report from United Way of Frederick County and its research partner United For ALICE.
The ALICE in Focus: Veterans report reveal that while veterans show lower rates of financial hardship than individuals who never served, many of Frederick County’s veterans, especially those in communities of color, face tough financial challenges.
35% of Frederick County’s Black veterans and 30% of Hispanic veterans struggle to afford a basic cost of living earning. This is in comparison to 17% of White veterans. These ALICE levels are higher than the state of Maryland where 25%, 21% and 24% of Black, Hispanic and White veterans are ALICE.
United Way’s Ride United program, which launched in 2021, provides free/discounted transportation to ALICE households in Frederick County. In 2022, United Way expanded Ride United to those who have served in the United States military.
Download the ALICE in Focus: Veterans Report for Maryland
Download the ALICE in Focus: Veterans Slideshow in Frederick County
United Way of Frederick County, in partnership with United for ALICE researchers, have released a new report that shows that 22,067 Frederick County children live in families that can’t afford basic necessities.
3,042 children are identified as in poverty by the federal government and an additional 19,025 are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and unable to afford a basic cost of living.
Other findings include:
• Having two working parents didn’t guarantee financial stability. Among households with two working adults, 16% of Frederick County children live in families whose income didn’t meet the cost of basic needs;
• Nearly 6,000 children live in homes with single mothers and 69% of those children struggle every day with access to food, housing and other necessities; and
• Over 13,000 children live in rental units and 72% of those children are ALICE.
Read the ALICE in Focus: Children Data for Frederick County Press Release
Download the Slideshow on ALICE in Focus: Children in Frederick County
'ALICE' report shows small decline in Frederick families struggling to pay for necessities - The Frederick News-Post
United Way of Frederick County releases 2020 ALICE Report - DC News Now
2020 ALICE Report Release & Community Conversation Virtual Event (VIDEO) - United Way of Frederick County
2020 ALICE Report Release Presentation - United Way of Frederick County
2020 ALICE Report Release Q&A - United Way of Frederick County
Local ALICE Partners
- Advocates for Homeless Families
- Blessings in a Backpack
- Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County
- Care Net Pregnancy Center of Frederick
- Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership
- City of Frederick
- The Community Foundation of Frederick County
- Community Living, Inc.
- Federated Charities
- The Frederick Center
- Frederick Community College
- Frederick County Government
- Frederick County Public Libraries
- Frederick County Public Schools
- Frederick Health
- Frederick Rescue Mission
- Girls on the Run of Mid & Western Maryland
- Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley
- Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County
- Heartly House
- Hood College
- Frederick Health Hospice
- Housing Authority of the City of Frederick
- Interfaith Housing Alliance
- Kiwanis Club of Frederick
- Literacy Council of Frederick County
- Marriage Resource Center
- Mental Health Association of Frederick County
- New Spire Arts
- Partners in Care
- Second Chances Garage
- Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland
- Helen J. Serini Foundation
- SHIP of Frederick County
- Woman to Woman Mentoring
- Zavos Architecture+Design
In August 2021, United Way of Frederick County announced the results of the COVID-19 Impact Survey for Frederick County. The findings show more disparity among ALICE and non-ALICE households and speaks to residents experiencing two very different pandemics with ALICE households experiencing more challenges as a result.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the ALICE Report showed that 37% of families in Frederick County couldn’t afford a basic cost of living in 2018. The COVID-19 Impact Survey shows that 48% of local ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families with children who responded are concerned about paying basic household expenses such as food, rent and utilities.
