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

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

Louisiana had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 51 states in 2017, at 27.7%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 10%. The median was 17% and the figure for the United States was 18.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27.7Louisiana
Lowest10New Hampshire
Median1751 states
United States18.4History

Map of states, 2017

Alabama: 24.4 %Alaska: 14.5 %Arizona: 21 %Arkansas: 22.5 %California: 18.1 %Colorado: 12.2 %Connecticut: 13 %Delaware: 17.7 %District of Columbia: 26.2 %Florida: 20.6 %Georgia: 21.5 %Hawaii: 11.9 %Idaho: 14.8 %Illinois: 17 %Indiana: 17.8 %Iowa: 12.6 %Kansas: 14.7 %Kentucky: 22.1 %Louisiana: 27.7 %Maine: 14.2 %Maryland: 12.4 %Massachusetts: 13.5 %Michigan: 19.6 %Minnesota: 11.7 %Mississippi: 27.6 %Missouri: 18.5 %Montana: 15.9 %Nebraska: 13.7 %Nevada: 19.2 %New Hampshire: 10 %New Jersey: 13.8 %New Mexico: 25.9 %New York: 19.9 %North Carolina: 21 %North Dakota: 11.4 %Ohio: 19.8 %Oklahoma: 21.3 %Oregon: 16.5 %Pennsylvania: 16.9 %Rhode Island: 18.2 %South Carolina: 22.3 %South Dakota: 16.3 %Tennessee: 21.1 %Texas: 21 %Utah: 10.6 %Vermont: 12.8 %Virginia: 14 %Washington: 14.2 %West Virginia: 24.4 %Wisconsin: 14.6 %Wyoming: 12.9 %
  • Under 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 to 17
  • 17 to 20
  • 20 to 22
  • 22 and over
%, 2017. 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, 2017

Louisiana: 27.7 %Louisiana27.7Mississippi: 27.6 %Mississippi27.6District of Columbia: 26.2 %District of Columbia26.2New Mexico: 25.9 %New Mexico25.9Alabama: 24.4 %Alabama24.4West Virginia: 24.4 %West Virginia24.4Arkansas: 22.5 %Arkansas22.5South Carolina: 22.3 %South Carolina22.3Kentucky: 22.1 %Kentucky22.1Georgia: 21.5 %Georgia21.5Oklahoma: 21.3 %Oklahoma21.3Tennessee: 21.1 %Tennessee21.1Arizona: 21 %Arizona21North Carolina: 21 %North Carolina21Texas: 21 %Texas21Florida: 20.6 %Florida20.6New York: 19.9 %New York19.9Ohio: 19.8 %Ohio19.8Michigan: 19.6 %Michigan19.6Nevada: 19.2 %Nevada19.2Missouri: 18.5 %Missouri18.5Rhode Island: 18.2 %Rhode Island18.2California: 18.1 %California18.1Indiana: 17.8 %Indiana17.8Delaware: 17.7 %Delaware17.7Illinois: 17 %Illinois17Pennsylvania: 16.9 %Pennsylvania16.9Oregon: 16.5 %Oregon16.5South Dakota: 16.3 %South Dakota16.3Montana: 15.9 %Montana15.9Idaho: 14.8 %Idaho14.8Kansas: 14.7 %Kansas14.7Wisconsin: 14.6 %Wisconsin14.6Alaska: 14.5 %Alaska14.5Maine: 14.2 %Maine14.2Washington: 14.2 %Washington14.2Virginia: 14 %Virginia14New Jersey: 13.8 %New Jersey13.8Nebraska: 13.7 %Nebraska13.7Massachusetts: 13.5 %Massachusetts13.5Connecticut: 13 %Connecticut13Wyoming: 12.9 %Wyoming12.9Vermont: 12.8 %Vermont12.8Iowa: 12.6 %Iowa12.6Maryland: 12.4 %Maryland12.4Colorado: 12.2 %Colorado12.2Hawaii: 11.9 %Hawaii11.9Minnesota: 11.7 %Minnesota11.7North Dakota: 11.4 %North Dakota11.4Utah: 10.6 %Utah10.6New Hampshire: 10 %New Hampshire10Louisiana: 27.7 %Louisiana27.7Mississippi: 27.6 %Mississippi27.6District of Columbia: 26.2 %District of Columbia26.2New Mexico: 25.9 %New Mexico25.9Alabama: 24.4 %Alabama24.4West Virginia: 24.4 %West Virginia24.4Arkansas: 22.5 %Arkansas22.5South Carolina: 22.3 %South Carolina22.3Kentucky: 22.1 %Kentucky22.1Georgia: 21.5 %Georgia21.5Oklahoma: 21.3 %Oklahoma21.3Tennessee: 21.1 %Tennessee21.1Arizona: 21 %Arizona21North Carolina: 21 %North Carolina21Texas: 21 %Texas21Florida: 20.6 %Florida20.6New York: 19.9 %New York19.9Ohio: 19.8 %Ohio19.8Michigan: 19.6 %Michigan19.6Nevada: 19.2 %Nevada19.2Missouri: 18.5 %Missouri18.5Rhode Island: 18.2 %Rhode Island18.2California: 18.1 %California18.1Indiana: 17.8 %Indiana17.8Delaware: 17.7 %Delaware17.7Illinois: 17 %Illinois17Pennsylvania: 16.9 %Pennsylvania16.9Oregon: 16.5 %Oregon16.5South Dakota: 16.3 %South Dakota16.3Montana: 15.9 %Montana15.9Idaho: 14.8 %Idaho14.8Kansas: 14.7 %Kansas14.7Wisconsin: 14.6 %Wisconsin14.6Alaska: 14.5 %Alaska14.5Maine: 14.2 %Maine14.2Washington: 14.2 %Washington14.2Virginia: 14 %Virginia14New Jersey: 13.8 %New Jersey13.8Nebraska: 13.7 %Nebraska13.7Massachusetts: 13.5 %Massachusetts13.5Connecticut: 13 %Connecticut13Wyoming: 12.9 %Wyoming12.9Vermont: 12.8 %Vermont12.8Iowa: 12.6 %Iowa12.6Maryland: 12.4 %Maryland12.4Colorado: 12.2 %Colorado12.2Hawaii: 11.9 %Hawaii11.9Minnesota: 11.7 %Minnesota11.7North Dakota: 11.4 %North Dakota11.4Utah: 10.6 %Utah10.6New Hampshire: 10 %New Hampshire10
%. 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

RankStates2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Louisiana27.7-0.7 pts
2Mississippi27.6-2.6 pts
3District of Columbia26.2-1.4 pts
4New Mexico25.9-1.9 pts
5Alabama24.4-0.3 pts
5West Virginia24.4+0.5 pts
7Arkansas22.5-1.5 pts
8South Carolina22.3-0.7 pts
9Kentucky22.1-2.3 pts
10Georgia21.5-1.6 pts
11Oklahoma21.3-1.2 pts
12Tennessee21.1-1.5 pts
13Arizona21-2.6 pts
13North Carolina21-0.7 pts
13Texas21-1.4 pts
16Florida20.6-0.7 pts
17New York19.9-0.9 pts
18Ohio19.8-0.6 pts
19Michigan19.6-1.1 pts
20Nevada19.2-0.7 pts
21Missouri18.5-0.7 pts
22Rhode Island18.2-0.5 pts
23California18.1-1.8 pts
24Indiana17.8-1.3 pts
25Delaware17.70 pts
26Illinois17-0.8 pts
27Pennsylvania16.9-1.5 pts
28Oregon16.5-0.7 pts
29South Dakota16.3-0.3 pts
30Montana15.9-0.2 pts
31Idaho14.8-1.8 pts
32Kansas14.7+0.4 pts
33Wisconsin14.6-1.1 pts
34Alaska14.5+0.9 pts
35Maine14.2-2.5 pts
35Washington14.2+0.3 pts
37Virginia14-0.3 pts
38New Jersey13.8-0.7 pts
39Nebraska13.7-0.2 pts
40Massachusetts13.5-0.1 pts
41Connecticut13-0.1 pts
42Wyoming12.9+1.3 pts
43Vermont12.8-0.7 pts
44Iowa12.6-2 pts
45Maryland12.4-0.6 pts
46Colorado12.2-1.2 pts
47Hawaii11.9+0.7 pts
48Minnesota11.7-0.8 pts
49North Dakota11.4-0.5 pts
50Utah10.6-0.4 pts
51New Hampshire10+1.5 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2017. 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), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2017.

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), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_child_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2017. 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2017.
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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Louisiana, with 27.7% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

New Hampshire, with 10% in 2017.

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