Across the U.S., the ALICE Essentials Index has increased at a higher rate than the CPI for more than fifteen years. From 2007 to 2023, the average annual rate of increase for the ALICE Essentials Index was 3.3%, while the CPI increased by 2.5% on average. For context, the median wage for the most common occupation in the U.S., a retail salesperson, increased 2.8% annually from 2007 to 2022 (the latest data available). The sustained lag behind the actual cost of basic goods equates to a loss of more than $26,000 over the past 15 years for a retail salesperson — more than a full year’s earnings.