Child well-being rates in the United States declined from 2019 to 2024, with 29 states performing worse than before the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the conclusion reached by the authors of the annual Kids Count Data Book report.
According to the report, the situation has improved in only 15 states. The study's authors assessed the situation in four main categories: the economic status of families, education, health, and family and social environment.
The US overall score dropped from 553 to 547 over five years.
The authors of the report call the deterioration of educational indicators one of the main problems. Math and reading proficiency levels declined in 47 states, and overall educational scores dropped from 518 to 417.
Researchers also recorded an increase in mortality among children and adolescents – the figure increased by 8% compared to 2019. Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which is producing the report, tied it to the ongoing mental health crisis among young people. At the same time, she called the investments of some states in school psychologists and mental health specialists a positive trend.
The number of children living in families with high financial strain also increased for the first time since 2010, according to the study. Currently, families of approximately 22.4 million children spend too much of their income on housing and basic expenses—that’s about 31% of all minors in the country.
The highest indicators of child well-being were recorded primarily in the northeastern states. At the same time, 11 of the 15 states with the worst results are in the southern United States. However, some southern states were still able to improve the situation. For example, South Carolina showed the largest increase – plus 38 points.
The report's authors note that government support programs partially mitigated the consequences of the crisis. One example was the temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit in 2021.
At the same time, experts warn that cuts in social programs and rising costs of living could further worsen the situation of families. As Georgetown University researchers note, the number of children insured through Medicaid is already declining in the United States, and the number of minors without health insurance is growing.
The study also shows that government support measures can directly influence the situation. Thus, New Mexico took only 49th place in the ranking, but was able to significantly improve its performance thanks to investments in economic support for families. Mississippi, which came in at the bottom of the overall rankings, has made significant progress in education since a 2013 reform aimed at raising reading proficiency among younger students and increasing investment in public schools.
