The economy may be chugging along, but many Americans are still struggling to afford a basic middle class life. Nearly 51 million households don't earn enough to afford a monthly budget that includes housing, food, child care, health care, transportation and a cell phone, according to a study released Thursday by the United Way ALICE Project. Related: Unemployment is below 4% for the first time since 2000The figure includes the 16.1 million households living in poverty, as well as the 34.7 million families that the United Way has dubbed ALICE -- Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Related: How Joe Biden would fix income inequality in AmericaCalifornia, New Mexico and Hawaii have the largest share of struggling families, at 49% each. But in Washington State, only 14% of jobs pay more than $40 an hour.

Source: CNN May 17, 2018 14:48 UTC