Almost 40% of Whatcom County households struggling to make ends meet, survey says

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — New data shows 39% of households in Whatcom County can’t afford basic necessities with their monthly wages.

United Way uses the acronym ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed to describe people struggling to pay bills with income coming from Social Security or low-paying jobs.

As of 2016, 61% of Whatcom County households were above that threshold, while 39% were either just making ends meet or in poverty.

East Whatcom County and Bellingham had the highest rate of impoverished or struggling households while Lummi Island and Lynden had the lowest.

Half of all jobs in Washington pay below $20 per hour.