Project report
2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book: 2019 State Trends in Child Well-Being
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Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001The 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book tracks child well-being across 16 indicators in four domains: health, education, family and community, and economic well-being in the United States. The report shows that 11 of 16 indicators have improved since 1990, with gains in high school graduation, teen parenthood delay, and children's health insurance access. However, challenges persist including rising rates of low birth weight, systemic racial inequities, and 12% of children living in areas of concentrated poverty. State rankings show New Hampshire leading in overall child well-being, while Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico rank lowest.
Key points
- 11 of 16 child well-being indicators improved from 1990 to 2019
- More parents are financially stable with fewer burdensome housing costs
- Teen high school graduation rates increased and teen parenthood delayed
- Children's health insurance access increased from 2010 to 2017
- 12% of children live in concentrated poverty areas; low birth weight rates rising; racial inequities remain systemic
Limitations
This report presents aggregate national and state-level data without detailed analysis of specific populations or causal mechanisms. The document does not explain why improvements occurred or provide intervention evaluations to guide policy responses.
Abstract
The 30th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT® Data Book begins by exploring how America's child population — and the American childhood experience — has changed since 1990.And there's some good news to share: Of the 16 areas of child well-being tracked across four domains — health, education, family and community and economic well-being — 11 have improved since the Foundation published its first Data Book 30 editions ago.The rest of the 2019 Data Book — including the latest national trends and state rankings — rely on a shorter review window: 2010 to 2017.The data reveal, in the United States today, more parents are financially stable and living without burdensome housing costs. More teens are graduating from high school and delaying parenthood. And access to children's health insurance has increased compared to just seven years ago.But it is not all good news. The risk of babies being born at a low weight continues to rise, racial inequities remain systemic and stubbornly persistent and 12% of kids across the country are still growing up in areas of concentrated poverty.Locally, New Hampshire has claimed the No. 1 spot in overall child well-being, followed by Massachusetts and Iowa. Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico sit at the other end of this list — and among familiar company. In fact, save for California and Alaska, the lowest 18 ranked states call Appalachia, the South or the Southwest home.