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 2016, at 30.2%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 8.5%. The median was 17.8% and the figure for the United States was 19.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest30.2Mississippi
Lowest8.5New Hampshire
Median17.851 states
United States19.5History

Map of states, 2016

Alabama: 24.7 %Alaska: 13.6 %Arizona: 23.6 %Arkansas: 24 %California: 19.9 %Colorado: 13.4 %Connecticut: 13.1 %Delaware: 17.7 %District of Columbia: 27.6 %Florida: 21.3 %Georgia: 23.1 %Hawaii: 11.2 %Idaho: 16.6 %Illinois: 17.8 %Indiana: 19.1 %Iowa: 14.6 %Kansas: 14.3 %Kentucky: 24.4 %Louisiana: 28.4 %Maine: 16.7 %Maryland: 13 %Massachusetts: 13.6 %Michigan: 20.7 %Minnesota: 12.5 %Mississippi: 30.2 %Missouri: 19.2 %Montana: 16.1 %Nebraska: 13.9 %Nevada: 19.9 %New Hampshire: 8.5 %New Jersey: 14.5 %New Mexico: 27.8 %New York: 20.8 %North Carolina: 21.7 %North Dakota: 11.9 %Ohio: 20.4 %Oklahoma: 22.5 %Oregon: 17.2 %Pennsylvania: 18.4 %Rhode Island: 18.7 %South Carolina: 23 %South Dakota: 16.6 %Tennessee: 22.6 %Texas: 22.4 %Utah: 11 %Vermont: 13.5 %Virginia: 14.3 %Washington: 13.9 %West Virginia: 23.9 %Wisconsin: 15.7 %Wyoming: 11.6 %
  • Under 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 to 18
  • 18 to 21
  • 21 to 23
  • 23 and over
%, 2016. 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, 2016

Mississippi: 30.2 %Mississippi30.2Louisiana: 28.4 %Louisiana28.4New Mexico: 27.8 %New Mexico27.8District of Columbia: 27.6 %District of Columbia27.6Alabama: 24.7 %Alabama24.7Kentucky: 24.4 %Kentucky24.4Arkansas: 24 %Arkansas24West Virginia: 23.9 %West Virginia23.9Arizona: 23.6 %Arizona23.6Georgia: 23.1 %Georgia23.1South Carolina: 23 %South Carolina23Tennessee: 22.6 %Tennessee22.6Oklahoma: 22.5 %Oklahoma22.5Texas: 22.4 %Texas22.4North Carolina: 21.7 %North Carolina21.7Florida: 21.3 %Florida21.3New York: 20.8 %New York20.8Michigan: 20.7 %Michigan20.7Ohio: 20.4 %Ohio20.4California: 19.9 %California19.9Nevada: 19.9 %Nevada19.9Missouri: 19.2 %Missouri19.2Indiana: 19.1 %Indiana19.1Rhode Island: 18.7 %Rhode Island18.7Pennsylvania: 18.4 %Pennsylvania18.4Illinois: 17.8 %Illinois17.8Delaware: 17.7 %Delaware17.7Oregon: 17.2 %Oregon17.2Maine: 16.7 %Maine16.7Idaho: 16.6 %Idaho16.6South Dakota: 16.6 %South Dakota16.6Montana: 16.1 %Montana16.1Wisconsin: 15.7 %Wisconsin15.7Iowa: 14.6 %Iowa14.6New Jersey: 14.5 %New Jersey14.5Kansas: 14.3 %Kansas14.3Virginia: 14.3 %Virginia14.3Nebraska: 13.9 %Nebraska13.9Washington: 13.9 %Washington13.9Alaska: 13.6 %Alaska13.6Massachusetts: 13.6 %Massachusetts13.6Vermont: 13.5 %Vermont13.5Colorado: 13.4 %Colorado13.4Connecticut: 13.1 %Connecticut13.1Maryland: 13 %Maryland13Minnesota: 12.5 %Minnesota12.5North Dakota: 11.9 %North Dakota11.9Wyoming: 11.6 %Wyoming11.6Hawaii: 11.2 %Hawaii11.2Utah: 11 %Utah11New Hampshire: 8.5 %New Hampshire8.5Mississippi: 30.2 %Mississippi30.2Louisiana: 28.4 %Louisiana28.4New Mexico: 27.8 %New Mexico27.8District of Columbia: 27.6 %District of Columbia27.6Alabama: 24.7 %Alabama24.7Kentucky: 24.4 %Kentucky24.4Arkansas: 24 %Arkansas24West Virginia: 23.9 %West Virginia23.9Arizona: 23.6 %Arizona23.6Georgia: 23.1 %Georgia23.1South Carolina: 23 %South Carolina23Tennessee: 22.6 %Tennessee22.6Oklahoma: 22.5 %Oklahoma22.5Texas: 22.4 %Texas22.4North Carolina: 21.7 %North Carolina21.7Florida: 21.3 %Florida21.3New York: 20.8 %New York20.8Michigan: 20.7 %Michigan20.7Ohio: 20.4 %Ohio20.4California: 19.9 %California19.9Nevada: 19.9 %Nevada19.9Missouri: 19.2 %Missouri19.2Indiana: 19.1 %Indiana19.1Rhode Island: 18.7 %Rhode Island18.7Pennsylvania: 18.4 %Pennsylvania18.4Illinois: 17.8 %Illinois17.8Delaware: 17.7 %Delaware17.7Oregon: 17.2 %Oregon17.2Maine: 16.7 %Maine16.7Idaho: 16.6 %Idaho16.6South Dakota: 16.6 %South Dakota16.6Montana: 16.1 %Montana16.1Wisconsin: 15.7 %Wisconsin15.7Iowa: 14.6 %Iowa14.6New Jersey: 14.5 %New Jersey14.5Kansas: 14.3 %Kansas14.3Virginia: 14.3 %Virginia14.3Nebraska: 13.9 %Nebraska13.9Washington: 13.9 %Washington13.9Alaska: 13.6 %Alaska13.6Massachusetts: 13.6 %Massachusetts13.6Vermont: 13.5 %Vermont13.5Colorado: 13.4 %Colorado13.4Connecticut: 13.1 %Connecticut13.1Maryland: 13 %Maryland13Minnesota: 12.5 %Minnesota12.5North Dakota: 11.9 %North Dakota11.9Wyoming: 11.6 %Wyoming11.6Hawaii: 11.2 %Hawaii11.2Utah: 11 %Utah11New Hampshire: 8.5 %New Hampshire8.5
%. 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

RankStates2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Mississippi30.2-1.3 pts
2Louisiana28.4+0.3 pts
3New Mexico27.8+0.6 pts
4District of Columbia27.6-0.7 pts
5Alabama24.7-1.8 pts
6Kentucky24.4-0.9 pts
7Arkansas24-2.4 pts
8West Virginia23.9-0.8 pts
9Arizona23.6-1.1 pts
10Georgia23.1-1.6 pts
11South Carolina23-1.4 pts
12Tennessee22.6-1.5 pts
13Oklahoma22.5+0.5 pts
14Texas22.4-0.5 pts
15North Carolina21.7-1.7 pts
16Florida21.3-2.1 pts
17New York20.8-1.5 pts
18Michigan20.7-1.5 pts
19Ohio20.4-0.8 pts
20California19.9-1.3 pts
20Nevada19.9-1.7 pts
22Missouri19.2-1.2 pts
23Indiana19.1-1.3 pts
24Rhode Island18.7-1.9 pts
25Pennsylvania18.4-0.7 pts
26Illinois17.8-1.3 pts
27Delaware17.7-1.4 pts
28Oregon17.2-2.6 pts
29Maine16.7-0.8 pts
30Idaho16.6-1.1 pts
30South Dakota16.6-1.1 pts
32Montana16.1-2.7 pts
33Wisconsin15.7-0.8 pts
34Iowa14.6-0.3 pts
35New Jersey14.5-1 pts
36Kansas14.3-2.6 pts
36Virginia14.3-0.7 pts
38Nebraska13.9-2 pts
38Washington13.9-1.8 pts
40Alaska13.6-0.9 pts
40Massachusetts13.6-1.3 pts
42Vermont13.5-0.2 pts
43Colorado13.4-1.4 pts
44Connecticut13.1-1.5 pts
45Maryland13-0.9 pts
46Minnesota12.5-0.6 pts
47North Dakota11.9-0.2 pts
48Wyoming11.6-1.4 pts
49Hawaii11.2-3.3 pts
50Utah11-1.8 pts
51New Hampshire8.5-2.5 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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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), 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2016. 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), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2016.

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), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_child_2016,
  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), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2016. 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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2016.
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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Mississippi, with 30.2% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

New Hampshire, with 8.5% in 2016.

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