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

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

Mississippi had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 51 states in 2015, at 31.5%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 11%. The median was 19.1% and the figure for the United States was 20.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest31.5Mississippi
Lowest11New Hampshire
Median19.151 states
United States20.7History

Map of states, 2015

Alabama: 26.5 %Alaska: 14.5 %Arizona: 24.7 %Arkansas: 26.4 %California: 21.2 %Colorado: 14.8 %Connecticut: 14.6 %Delaware: 19.1 %District of Columbia: 28.3 %Florida: 23.4 %Georgia: 24.7 %Hawaii: 14.5 %Idaho: 17.7 %Illinois: 19.1 %Indiana: 20.4 %Iowa: 14.9 %Kansas: 16.9 %Kentucky: 25.3 %Louisiana: 28.1 %Maine: 17.5 %Maryland: 13.9 %Massachusetts: 14.9 %Michigan: 22.2 %Minnesota: 13.1 %Mississippi: 31.5 %Missouri: 20.4 %Montana: 18.8 %Nebraska: 15.9 %Nevada: 21.6 %New Hampshire: 11 %New Jersey: 15.5 %New Mexico: 27.2 %New York: 22.3 %North Carolina: 23.4 %North Dakota: 12.1 %Ohio: 21.2 %Oklahoma: 22 %Oregon: 19.8 %Pennsylvania: 19.1 %Rhode Island: 20.6 %South Carolina: 24.4 %South Dakota: 17.7 %Tennessee: 24.1 %Texas: 22.9 %Utah: 12.8 %Vermont: 13.7 %Virginia: 15 %Washington: 15.7 %West Virginia: 24.7 %Wisconsin: 16.5 %Wyoming: 13 %
  • Under 15
  • 15 to 16
  • 16 to 19
  • 19 to 22
  • 22 to 25
  • 25 and over
%, 2015. 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, 2015

Mississippi: 31.5 %Mississippi31.5District of Columbia: 28.3 %District of Columbia28.3Louisiana: 28.1 %Louisiana28.1New Mexico: 27.2 %New Mexico27.2Alabama: 26.5 %Alabama26.5Arkansas: 26.4 %Arkansas26.4Kentucky: 25.3 %Kentucky25.3Arizona: 24.7 %Arizona24.7Georgia: 24.7 %Georgia24.7West Virginia: 24.7 %West Virginia24.7South Carolina: 24.4 %South Carolina24.4Tennessee: 24.1 %Tennessee24.1Florida: 23.4 %Florida23.4North Carolina: 23.4 %North Carolina23.4Texas: 22.9 %Texas22.9New York: 22.3 %New York22.3Michigan: 22.2 %Michigan22.2Oklahoma: 22 %Oklahoma22Nevada: 21.6 %Nevada21.6California: 21.2 %California21.2Ohio: 21.2 %Ohio21.2Rhode Island: 20.6 %Rhode Island20.6Indiana: 20.4 %Indiana20.4Missouri: 20.4 %Missouri20.4Oregon: 19.8 %Oregon19.8Delaware: 19.1 %Delaware19.1Illinois: 19.1 %Illinois19.1Pennsylvania: 19.1 %Pennsylvania19.1Montana: 18.8 %Montana18.8Idaho: 17.7 %Idaho17.7South Dakota: 17.7 %South Dakota17.7Maine: 17.5 %Maine17.5Kansas: 16.9 %Kansas16.9Wisconsin: 16.5 %Wisconsin16.5Nebraska: 15.9 %Nebraska15.9Washington: 15.7 %Washington15.7New Jersey: 15.5 %New Jersey15.5Virginia: 15 %Virginia15Iowa: 14.9 %Iowa14.9Massachusetts: 14.9 %Massachusetts14.9Colorado: 14.8 %Colorado14.8Connecticut: 14.6 %Connecticut14.6Alaska: 14.5 %Alaska14.5Hawaii: 14.5 %Hawaii14.5Maryland: 13.9 %Maryland13.9Vermont: 13.7 %Vermont13.7Minnesota: 13.1 %Minnesota13.1Wyoming: 13 %Wyoming13Utah: 12.8 %Utah12.8North Dakota: 12.1 %North Dakota12.1New Hampshire: 11 %New Hampshire11Mississippi: 31.5 %Mississippi31.5District of Columbia: 28.3 %District of Columbia28.3Louisiana: 28.1 %Louisiana28.1New Mexico: 27.2 %New Mexico27.2Alabama: 26.5 %Alabama26.5Arkansas: 26.4 %Arkansas26.4Kentucky: 25.3 %Kentucky25.3Arizona: 24.7 %Arizona24.7Georgia: 24.7 %Georgia24.7West Virginia: 24.7 %West Virginia24.7South Carolina: 24.4 %South Carolina24.4Tennessee: 24.1 %Tennessee24.1Florida: 23.4 %Florida23.4North Carolina: 23.4 %North Carolina23.4Texas: 22.9 %Texas22.9New York: 22.3 %New York22.3Michigan: 22.2 %Michigan22.2Oklahoma: 22 %Oklahoma22Nevada: 21.6 %Nevada21.6California: 21.2 %California21.2Ohio: 21.2 %Ohio21.2Rhode Island: 20.6 %Rhode Island20.6Indiana: 20.4 %Indiana20.4Missouri: 20.4 %Missouri20.4Oregon: 19.8 %Oregon19.8Delaware: 19.1 %Delaware19.1Illinois: 19.1 %Illinois19.1Pennsylvania: 19.1 %Pennsylvania19.1Montana: 18.8 %Montana18.8Idaho: 17.7 %Idaho17.7South Dakota: 17.7 %South Dakota17.7Maine: 17.5 %Maine17.5Kansas: 16.9 %Kansas16.9Wisconsin: 16.5 %Wisconsin16.5Nebraska: 15.9 %Nebraska15.9Washington: 15.7 %Washington15.7New Jersey: 15.5 %New Jersey15.5Virginia: 15 %Virginia15Iowa: 14.9 %Iowa14.9Massachusetts: 14.9 %Massachusetts14.9Colorado: 14.8 %Colorado14.8Connecticut: 14.6 %Connecticut14.6Alaska: 14.5 %Alaska14.5Hawaii: 14.5 %Hawaii14.5Maryland: 13.9 %Maryland13.9Vermont: 13.7 %Vermont13.7Minnesota: 13.1 %Minnesota13.1Wyoming: 13 %Wyoming13Utah: 12.8 %Utah12.8North Dakota: 12.1 %North Dakota12.1New Hampshire: 11 %New Hampshire11
%. 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

RankStates2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Mississippi31.5+0.8 pts
2District of Columbia28.3-0.6 pts
3Louisiana28.1+0.1 pts
4New Mexico27.2-0.8 pts
5Alabama26.5-0.9 pts
6Arkansas26.4+0.1 pts
7Kentucky25.3-0.6 pts
8Arizona24.7-0.9 pts
8Georgia24.7-1.6 pts
8West Virginia24.7-0.3 pts
11South Carolina24.4-2 pts
12Tennessee24.1-1.8 pts
13Florida23.4-0.8 pts
13North Carolina23.4-0.7 pts
15Texas22.9-1.6 pts
16New York22.3-0.6 pts
17Michigan22.2-0.4 pts
18Oklahoma22-0.4 pts
19Nevada21.6-0.6 pts
20California21.2-1.4 pts
20Ohio21.2-1.5 pts
22Rhode Island20.6-0.6 pts
23Indiana20.4-0.8 pts
23Missouri20.4-0.9 pts
25Oregon19.8-1.5 pts
26Delaware19.1-0.1 pts
26Illinois19.1-1 pts
26Pennsylvania19.1-0.1 pts
29Montana18.8-0.4 pts
30Idaho17.7-1.3 pts
30South Dakota17.7-0.7 pts
32Maine17.5-1.5 pts
33Kansas16.9-0.7 pts
34Wisconsin16.5-1.9 pts
35Nebraska15.9-0.1 pts
36Washington15.7-1.8 pts
37New Jersey15.5-0.3 pts
38Virginia15-0.9 pts
39Iowa14.9-0.6 pts
39Massachusetts14.9-0.4 pts
41Colorado14.8-0.8 pts
42Connecticut14.6-0.3 pts
43Alaska14.5-1 pts
43Hawaii14.5-0.7 pts
45Maryland13.9+0.1 pts
46Vermont13.7-1.7 pts
47Minnesota13.1-1.7 pts
48Wyoming13-0.7 pts
49Utah12.8-0.6 pts
50North Dakota12.1-1.6 pts
51New Hampshire11-1.6 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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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), 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2015. 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), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2015.

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), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_child_2015,
  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), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2015. 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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2015.
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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank US states by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Mississippi, with 31.5% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

New Hampshire, with 11% in 2015.

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