Understanding Long Island – Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI)

Counties Served

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Suffolk County, NY

Suffolk County is a predominantly suburban county on Long Island and the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of 2023, the county’s population was 1.53 million, making it the fourth-most populous county in New York. The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, from where its earliest European settlers came.

POPULATION1.53M

MEDIAN AGE41.7

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME$128,329

POVERTY RATE6.38%

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS512k

MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE$539,500

HOUSEHOLDS BELOW ALICE THRESHOLD203,523

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Nassau County, NY

Nassau County is a predominantly suburban county on Long Island, bordering New York City to the west. As of 2023, the county’s population was 1.39, million making it the sixth-most populous county in New York. Its county seat is Mineola, and its largest town is Hempstead. The county was named after the German town of Nassau.

POPULATION1.39M

MEDIAN AGE41.8

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME$143,408

POVERTY RATE5.31%

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS512K

MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE$658,700

HOUSEHOLDS BELOW ALICE THRESHOLD151,193

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Understanding Long Island

Challenges of Suburban Poverty

Long Island was built as America’s first suburb, envisioned as a land of opportunity, accessibility, and upward mobility for a growing middle class. While Long Island is often seen as an affluent region, poverty here is a complex and nuanced issue affecting far more people than many realize.
The poverty rate on Long Island is approximately 5.9%, an average of Nassau County’s 5.3% and Suffolk County’s 6.5%, with roughly 168K residents living below the national poverty line. Yet even this staggering statistic does not tell the full story. Many additional households earn above the federal poverty threshold but still fall short of meeting the costs of basic needs in this region.
The United Way ALICE Report provides a framework, language, and tools to measure and understand the struggles of households who earn too little to afford a basic household budget. In updated 2025 NYS report, it was shown that many households continue to face challenges from low wages, reduced work hours, depleted savings, and rising costs of living.
Key findings from the 2025 ALICE Report reveal that 33% of Long Island households fall below the income threshold needed to live and work, equating to 151,193 households in Nassau County and 203,523 households in Suffolk County. Overall, 354,716 households on Long Island have incomes below the ALICE threshold budget for survival.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE represents hardworking members of our community who earn above the federal poverty level but do not earn enough to afford a bare-bones household budget—or “household survival budget.” By defining this population, the ALICE Report helps us better understand the challenges faced by families and individuals striving to make ends meet in today’s economy.

Established in 1947, the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) is a regional, nonprofit umbrella organization for health and human service providers dedicated to improving the lives of Long Island’s most vulnerable residents by responding to their needs through the promotion and development of public policies and direct services.

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110 Walt Whitman Road, Suite 101, Huntington Station, NY 11746

Phone: 516-483-1110

Fax: 516-483-4794

E-mail: [email protected]

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