Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / US states

US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024

District of Columbia had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 51 states in 2024, at 25%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 7%. The median was 14.2% and the figure for the United States was 15.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest25District of Columbia
Lowest7New Hampshire
Median14.251 states
United States15.5History

Map of states, 2024

Alabama: 20.4 %Alaska: 12.9 %Arizona: 15.2 %Arkansas: 19.6 %California: 14.6 %Colorado: 11.2 %Connecticut: 13 %Delaware: 14.2 %District of Columbia: 25 %Florida: 15.7 %Georgia: 16.9 %Hawaii: 11.4 %Idaho: 10.9 %Illinois: 14.1 %Indiana: 15.8 %Iowa: 13.1 %Kansas: 12.8 %Kentucky: 18.9 %Louisiana: 25 %Maine: 12.3 %Maryland: 11.2 %Massachusetts: 11.4 %Michigan: 17.7 %Minnesota: 9.6 %Mississippi: 25 %Missouri: 15.3 %Montana: 11.7 %Nebraska: 11.6 %Nevada: 15.5 %New Hampshire: 7 %New Jersey: 11.8 %New Mexico: 20.5 %New York: 17.9 %North Carolina: 16.6 %North Dakota: 11.7 %Ohio: 16.4 %Oklahoma: 18.7 %Oregon: 13 %Pennsylvania: 15.3 %Rhode Island: 15.5 %South Carolina: 18.1 %South Dakota: 11.9 %Tennessee: 18.4 %Texas: 17.9 %Utah: 8.6 %Vermont: 9.7 %Virginia: 11.8 %Washington: 11.5 %West Virginia: 20.1 %Wisconsin: 12.2 %Wyoming: 10.2 %
  • Under 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 to 19
  • 19 and over
%, 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2024

District of Columbia: 25 %District of Columbia25Louisiana: 25 %Louisiana25Mississippi: 25 %Mississippi25New Mexico: 20.5 %New Mexico20.5Alabama: 20.4 %Alabama20.4West Virginia: 20.1 %West Virginia20.1Arkansas: 19.6 %Arkansas19.6Kentucky: 18.9 %Kentucky18.9Oklahoma: 18.7 %Oklahoma18.7Tennessee: 18.4 %Tennessee18.4South Carolina: 18.1 %South Carolina18.1New York: 17.9 %New York17.9Texas: 17.9 %Texas17.9Michigan: 17.7 %Michigan17.7Georgia: 16.9 %Georgia16.9North Carolina: 16.6 %North Carolina16.6Ohio: 16.4 %Ohio16.4Indiana: 15.8 %Indiana15.8Florida: 15.7 %Florida15.7Nevada: 15.5 %Nevada15.5Rhode Island: 15.5 %Rhode Island15.5Missouri: 15.3 %Missouri15.3Pennsylvania: 15.3 %Pennsylvania15.3Arizona: 15.2 %Arizona15.2California: 14.6 %California14.6Delaware: 14.2 %Delaware14.2Illinois: 14.1 %Illinois14.1Iowa: 13.1 %Iowa13.1Connecticut: 13 %Connecticut13Oregon: 13 %Oregon13Alaska: 12.9 %Alaska12.9Kansas: 12.8 %Kansas12.8Maine: 12.3 %Maine12.3Wisconsin: 12.2 %Wisconsin12.2South Dakota: 11.9 %South Dakota11.9New Jersey: 11.8 %New Jersey11.8Virginia: 11.8 %Virginia11.8Montana: 11.7 %Montana11.7North Dakota: 11.7 %North Dakota11.7Nebraska: 11.6 %Nebraska11.6Washington: 11.5 %Washington11.5Hawaii: 11.4 %Hawaii11.4Massachusetts: 11.4 %Massachusetts11.4Colorado: 11.2 %Colorado11.2Maryland: 11.2 %Maryland11.2Idaho: 10.9 %Idaho10.9Wyoming: 10.2 %Wyoming10.2Vermont: 9.7 %Vermont9.7Minnesota: 9.6 %Minnesota9.6Utah: 8.6 %Utah8.6New Hampshire: 7 %New Hampshire7District of Columbia: 25 %District of Columbia25Louisiana: 25 %Louisiana25Mississippi: 25 %Mississippi25New Mexico: 20.5 %New Mexico20.5Alabama: 20.4 %Alabama20.4West Virginia: 20.1 %West Virginia20.1Arkansas: 19.6 %Arkansas19.6Kentucky: 18.9 %Kentucky18.9Oklahoma: 18.7 %Oklahoma18.7Tennessee: 18.4 %Tennessee18.4South Carolina: 18.1 %South Carolina18.1New York: 17.9 %New York17.9Texas: 17.9 %Texas17.9Michigan: 17.7 %Michigan17.7Georgia: 16.9 %Georgia16.9North Carolina: 16.6 %North Carolina16.6Ohio: 16.4 %Ohio16.4Indiana: 15.8 %Indiana15.8Florida: 15.7 %Florida15.7Nevada: 15.5 %Nevada15.5Rhode Island: 15.5 %Rhode Island15.5Missouri: 15.3 %Missouri15.3Pennsylvania: 15.3 %Pennsylvania15.3Arizona: 15.2 %Arizona15.2California: 14.6 %California14.6Delaware: 14.2 %Delaware14.2Illinois: 14.1 %Illinois14.1Iowa: 13.1 %Iowa13.1Connecticut: 13 %Connecticut13Oregon: 13 %Oregon13Alaska: 12.9 %Alaska12.9Kansas: 12.8 %Kansas12.8Maine: 12.3 %Maine12.3Wisconsin: 12.2 %Wisconsin12.2South Dakota: 11.9 %South Dakota11.9New Jersey: 11.8 %New Jersey11.8Virginia: 11.8 %Virginia11.8Montana: 11.7 %Montana11.7North Dakota: 11.7 %North Dakota11.7Nebraska: 11.6 %Nebraska11.6Washington: 11.5 %Washington11.5Hawaii: 11.4 %Hawaii11.4Massachusetts: 11.4 %Massachusetts11.4Colorado: 11.2 %Colorado11.2Maryland: 11.2 %Maryland11.2Idaho: 10.9 %Idaho10.9Wyoming: 10.2 %Wyoming10.2Vermont: 9.7 %Vermont9.7Minnesota: 9.6 %Minnesota9.6Utah: 8.6 %Utah8.6New Hampshire: 7 %New Hampshire7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2024 (%)Change on 2023
1District of Columbia25+4.3 pts
1Louisiana25-0.2 pts
1Mississippi25+0.7 pts
4New Mexico20.5-2.1 pts
5Alabama20.4-0.9 pts
6West Virginia20.1+0.5 pts
7Arkansas19.6-0.6 pts
8Kentucky18.9-1.3 pts
9Oklahoma18.7-1.8 pts
10Tennessee18.4-0.5 pts
11South Carolina18.1-0.7 pts
12New York17.9-0.7 pts
12Texas17.9-0.5 pts
14Michigan17.7+0.2 pts
15Georgia16.9-1.9 pts
16North Carolina16.6-0.9 pts
17Ohio16.4-1.1 pts
18Indiana15.8+0.7 pts
19Florida15.7-0.3 pts
20Nevada15.5-0.9 pts
20Rhode Island15.5+0.4 pts
22Missouri15.3+0.6 pts
22Pennsylvania15.3-0.2 pts
24Arizona15.2-0.6 pts
25California14.6-0.4 pts
26Delaware14.2-1.2 pts
27Illinois14.1-0.6 pts
28Iowa13.1+0.1 pts
29Connecticut130 pts
29Oregon13-0.6 pts
31Alaska12.9+0.4 pts
32Kansas12.8-0.3 pts
33Maine12.3-0.3 pts
34Wisconsin12.2-0.6 pts
35South Dakota11.9-1.6 pts
36New Jersey11.8-1 pts
36Virginia11.8-0.9 pts
38Montana11.7-1.1 pts
38North Dakota11.7+1.6 pts
40Nebraska11.6+0.5 pts
41Washington11.5-0.6 pts
42Hawaii11.4-0.4 pts
42Massachusetts11.4-1.3 pts
44Colorado11.2+0.3 pts
44Maryland11.2-0.1 pts
46Idaho10.9-0.4 pts
47Wyoming10.2-1.8 pts
48Vermont9.7-0.5 pts
49Minnesota9.6-0.6 pts
50Utah8.6-0.6 pts
51New Hampshire7-1.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_child_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

District of Columbia, with 25% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

New Hampshire, with 7% in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

US states: more rankings