Vermont ranks high for child well-being, but COVID took toll

Massachusetts Ranks First Again

New England states hold the top two spots for overall child well-being. Massachusetts ranks first, followed by New Hampshire and Minnesota. Louisiana (at 48th place), New Mexico (49th) and Mississippi (50th) are the three lowest-ranked states.

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A State-to-State Comparison

Five of the top 10 states in terms of overall child well-being are in the Northeast, including Vermont (fourth), New Jersey (sixth) and Connecticut (eighth). States rounding out the top 10 are Utah (fifth), Nebraska (seventh), Iowa (ninth) and Wisconsin (10th).

District of Columbia and Puerto Rico

Although they are not ranked against states, children in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico experienced some of the worst outcomes on many of the indicators the Foundation tracks.

Appalachia and the South

States in Appalachia, as well as the Southeast and Southwest — where families have the lowest levels of household income — populate the bottom of the overall rankings. In fact, except for Alaska, the 17 lowest-ranked states are in these regions.

A State-to-State Comparison

In the Economic Well-Being domain, North Dakota ranks first, followed by Nebraska and Minnesota. New Mexico (48th), Louisiana (49th) and Mississippi (50th) are the three lowest-ranked states.

Poverty Is a Threat

Growing up in poverty is one of the greatest threats to healthy child development. It increases the likelihood that a child will be exposed to factors that can impair brain development and lead to poor academic, cognitive and health outcomes. It also can result in higher rates of risky health-related behaviors among adolescents.

The official poverty level in 2019 was $25,926 for a family of two adults and two children.

American Indian, Black and Latino Kids More Likely to Live in Poverty

Nationally, 17% of children (12 million) lived in families with incomes below the poverty line in 2019.

The poverty rate among African American and American Indian children (31% and 30%, respectively) was three times the rate for white and Asian and Pacific Islander children (10% for both) in 2019. The poverty rate for Latino kids (23%) was also high.

Benefits of Secure Employment

Secure employment is a key contributor to the financial stability and well-being of families. Employment insecurity and the accompanying income loss can disrupt daily living and relationships and limit families’ access to resources to invest in their children’s development, which can, in turn, diminish children’s achievement in school and chances of future success.

In 2019, more than one in four children (18.8 million) lived in families where no parent had full-time, year-round employment.

Parents in the South More Likely to Lack Job Stability

At 19%, Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming had the lowest percentage of children in families without secure parental employment in 2019. Mississippi and West Virginia had the highest rate (34%). The share was even greater in Puerto Rico (52%).

The Housing Squeeze

Housing is typically one of the largest family expenses. High housing costs weigh more heavily on low-income families, which are more likely to struggle with finding affordable housing, often spending more than 30% of pretax income on a home, whether they rent or own. Paying too much for housing limits the resources families have for other necessities.

Disconnection Rates Differ by Race

American Indian (11%), African American (10%) and Latino (8%) teens had considerably higher rates of neither being in school nor working than their white (5%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (3%) counterparts.

A State-to-State Comparison

In the Education domain, New Jersey ranks first again, followed by Massachusetts and Connecticut. Louisiana (48th), Alaska (49th) and New Mexico (50th) are the three lowest-ranked states.

Many Kids Missing a Strong Academic Start

High-quality preschool programs for 3- to 4-year-olds help set the stage for future skill development, well-being and learning, particularly for those from low-income households.

During 2017–19, 4.2 million kids ages 3–4 were not in school, representing more than half (52%) of all children in that age group. The rate of participation has remained unchanged since 2009–11.

Preschool Participation Rates

In 2017–19, Connecticut had the lowest share of 3- and 4-year-olds not in school, at 34%. The state with the highest percentages of young children not in school in 2017–19 was North Dakota (68%). Although the District of Columbia is not ranked among states, it had the best rate, at 21% — a result of the city’s free, universal preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds.

Roughly half of white and multiracial 3- and 4-year-olds were not in any school programs; the percentage was slightly lower for African American (48%) and Asian and Pacific Islander kids (45%). The rates were noticeably higher for Latino (58%) and American Indian (55%) children.

Most Fourth-Graders Not Proficient Readers as Disparities Persist

Sixty-six percent of fourth-graders in public school were reading without proficiency in 2019, an alarming rate though slightly improved from 2009, when 68% scored not proficient.

In 2019, 82% of African American, 80% of American Indian, 77% of Latino and 60% of multiracial fourth-graders were not proficient in reading, compared with 56% of white and 45% of Asian and Pacific Islander students.

Alabama and New Mexico Earn Low Math Scores

Nationwide, two-thirds (67%) of public school eighth-graders were not proficient in math in 2019. This rate was the same in 2009.

At 53%, Massachusetts students performed best in math, with the lowest percentage of eighth-graders not proficient in 2019. Alabama and New Mexico had highest rate of nonproficient math students, at 79%.

Eighth-Grade Math Proficiency Rates by Race

In 2019, 39% of Asian and Pacific Islander and 57% of white eighth-graders scored below proficiency, compared with 87% of African American, 85% of American Indian and 81% of Latino eighth-graders.

Eighth-grade math achievement improved for African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino and multiracial students between 2009 and 2019 but remained the same for white students while worsening significantly for American Indian children.

Rate of Youth Failing to Graduate Still Dropping

A high school diploma is critical for entering today’s workforce.

For this indicator, steady improvements have occurred since 2010–11, when 21% of high school students failed to graduate in four years. Nationally, about one in seven (14%) did not graduate on time in the 2018–19 school year, an all-time low.

White and Asian Students Most Likely to Graduate on Time

In 2018–19, 11% of white students did not graduate from high school on time. The rates for American Indian and African American students were at least twice as high, at 26% and 20%, respectively. The rate for Latino students was 18%.

A State-to-State Comparison

In the Health domain, Massachusetts ranks first, followed by Minnesota and New Hampshire. Louisiana (48th), Texas (49th) and Mississippi (50th) are the three lowest-ranked states.

Why Birth Weight Matters

Birth weight is an important indicator of an infant’s health. Babies born at a low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) have a high probability of experiencing developmental problems and short- and long-term disabilities. They also are at greater risk of dying within the first year of life.

Alaska had the lowest percentage of low birth-weight babies in 2019 — 6.3% of live births — while Mississippi had the highest, at 12.3%.

African American Newborns Most Likely to Have Low Birth Weight

Among racial and ethnic groups, African American babies were most likely to be born at a low birth weight, at 13.8% of live births in 2019. This number was close to twice the rates for Latino (7.6%) and white (6.9%) infants. The rate increased from 2016 among all groups except for the rate for white babies, which declined slightly.

Stabilizing Scales

Nationally, low birth-weight babies represented 8.3% of all live births in 2019. After increasing for three straight years, the percentage of babies born at a low birth weight has stabilized. The 2019 rate matched 2006’s four-decade high of 8.3%.

Kids Without Health Insurance Climbs After Steady Decline

Across the nation, 6% of children age 18 and under (4.4 million) lacked health insurance in 2019. This is the first rate increase we have seen in the last decade.

Why Health Insurance Matters

Children with health insurance are more likely to have a regular source of health care they can access for preventive care services and developmental screenings, to treat acute and chronic conditions or to address injuries when they occur.

American Indian (14%) and Latino (9%) children were far more likely to be uninsured than their African American (5%), and Asian and Pacific Islander, multiracial and white peers — each of whom had uninsured rates of 4%.

Why Weight Matters

Being overweight or obese during childhood can have harmful effects on a child’s overall health and well-being and can have everlasting impact on their health as adults. Children who struggle with their weight are at higher risk for a range of health problems, including asthma, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. They are also more likely to experience social and emotional difficulties, such as stigmatization and low self-esteem.

West Virginia Tops the Scales

Minnesota had the lowest rate of children who were overweight or obese (22%). West Virginia, at 40%, had the highest rate.

Percentage of Overweight or Obese Children Unchanged

In 2018–19, 31% of children ages 10 to 17 were overweight or obese. The rate has remained unchanged since 2016-17.

Among racial and ethnic groups, Asian teens were the least likely (18%) to be overweight or obese, while African American (40%) and Latino (38%) youth were the most likely.