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 2020, at 26%. Utah had the lowest, at 7.5%. The median was 14.5% and the figure for the United States was 15.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest26Mississippi
Lowest7.5Utah
Median14.551 states
United States15.7History

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 20.9 %Alaska: 12.3 %Arizona: 17.6 %Arkansas: 20.8 %California: 14.6 %Colorado: 10.6 %Connecticut: 11.8 %Delaware: 15.1 %District of Columbia: 22.3 %Florida: 17.2 %Georgia: 19.5 %Hawaii: 10.4 %Idaho: 11.6 %Illinois: 13.9 %Indiana: 14.9 %Iowa: 12 %Kansas: 13 %Kentucky: 19.4 %Louisiana: 24.3 %Maine: 12.8 %Maryland: 11.2 %Massachusetts: 10.9 %Michigan: 16.8 %Minnesota: 9.5 %Mississippi: 26 %Missouri: 15.5 %Montana: 14.6 %Nebraska: 10.1 %Nevada: 16.7 %New Hampshire: 8.4 %New Jersey: 12.6 %New Mexico: 21.6 %New York: 16.7 %North Carolina: 17.9 %North Dakota: 10.9 %Ohio: 16.6 %Oklahoma: 18.6 %Oregon: 12.2 %Pennsylvania: 14.3 %Rhode Island: 14.5 %South Carolina: 18.7 %South Dakota: 13.9 %Tennessee: 18.4 %Texas: 18.8 %Utah: 7.5 %Vermont: 10 %Virginia: 12.2 %Washington: 11 %West Virginia: 20.3 %Wisconsin: 12.4 %Wyoming: 10.3 %
  • Under 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 to 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 and over
%, 2020. 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, 2020

Mississippi: 26 %Mississippi26Louisiana: 24.3 %Louisiana24.3District of Columbia: 22.3 %District of Columbia22.3New Mexico: 21.6 %New Mexico21.6Alabama: 20.9 %Alabama20.9Arkansas: 20.8 %Arkansas20.8West Virginia: 20.3 %West Virginia20.3Georgia: 19.5 %Georgia19.5Kentucky: 19.4 %Kentucky19.4Texas: 18.8 %Texas18.8South Carolina: 18.7 %South Carolina18.7Oklahoma: 18.6 %Oklahoma18.6Tennessee: 18.4 %Tennessee18.4North Carolina: 17.9 %North Carolina17.9Arizona: 17.6 %Arizona17.6Florida: 17.2 %Florida17.2Michigan: 16.8 %Michigan16.8Nevada: 16.7 %Nevada16.7New York: 16.7 %New York16.7Ohio: 16.6 %Ohio16.6Missouri: 15.5 %Missouri15.5Delaware: 15.1 %Delaware15.1Indiana: 14.9 %Indiana14.9California: 14.6 %California14.6Montana: 14.6 %Montana14.6Rhode Island: 14.5 %Rhode Island14.5Pennsylvania: 14.3 %Pennsylvania14.3Illinois: 13.9 %Illinois13.9South Dakota: 13.9 %South Dakota13.9Kansas: 13 %Kansas13Maine: 12.8 %Maine12.8New Jersey: 12.6 %New Jersey12.6Wisconsin: 12.4 %Wisconsin12.4Alaska: 12.3 %Alaska12.3Oregon: 12.2 %Oregon12.2Virginia: 12.2 %Virginia12.2Iowa: 12 %Iowa12Connecticut: 11.8 %Connecticut11.8Idaho: 11.6 %Idaho11.6Maryland: 11.2 %Maryland11.2Washington: 11 %Washington11Massachusetts: 10.9 %Massachusetts10.9North Dakota: 10.9 %North Dakota10.9Colorado: 10.6 %Colorado10.6Hawaii: 10.4 %Hawaii10.4Wyoming: 10.3 %Wyoming10.3Nebraska: 10.1 %Nebraska10.1Vermont: 10 %Vermont10Minnesota: 9.5 %Minnesota9.5New Hampshire: 8.4 %New Hampshire8.4Utah: 7.5 %Utah7.5Mississippi: 26 %Mississippi26Louisiana: 24.3 %Louisiana24.3District of Columbia: 22.3 %District of Columbia22.3New Mexico: 21.6 %New Mexico21.6Alabama: 20.9 %Alabama20.9Arkansas: 20.8 %Arkansas20.8West Virginia: 20.3 %West Virginia20.3Georgia: 19.5 %Georgia19.5Kentucky: 19.4 %Kentucky19.4Texas: 18.8 %Texas18.8South Carolina: 18.7 %South Carolina18.7Oklahoma: 18.6 %Oklahoma18.6Tennessee: 18.4 %Tennessee18.4North Carolina: 17.9 %North Carolina17.9Arizona: 17.6 %Arizona17.6Florida: 17.2 %Florida17.2Michigan: 16.8 %Michigan16.8Nevada: 16.7 %Nevada16.7New York: 16.7 %New York16.7Ohio: 16.6 %Ohio16.6Missouri: 15.5 %Missouri15.5Delaware: 15.1 %Delaware15.1Indiana: 14.9 %Indiana14.9California: 14.6 %California14.6Montana: 14.6 %Montana14.6Rhode Island: 14.5 %Rhode Island14.5Pennsylvania: 14.3 %Pennsylvania14.3Illinois: 13.9 %Illinois13.9South Dakota: 13.9 %South Dakota13.9Kansas: 13 %Kansas13Maine: 12.8 %Maine12.8New Jersey: 12.6 %New Jersey12.6Wisconsin: 12.4 %Wisconsin12.4Alaska: 12.3 %Alaska12.3Oregon: 12.2 %Oregon12.2Virginia: 12.2 %Virginia12.2Iowa: 12 %Iowa12Connecticut: 11.8 %Connecticut11.8Idaho: 11.6 %Idaho11.6Maryland: 11.2 %Maryland11.2Washington: 11 %Washington11Massachusetts: 10.9 %Massachusetts10.9North Dakota: 10.9 %North Dakota10.9Colorado: 10.6 %Colorado10.6Hawaii: 10.4 %Hawaii10.4Wyoming: 10.3 %Wyoming10.3Nebraska: 10.1 %Nebraska10.1Vermont: 10 %Vermont10Minnesota: 9.5 %Minnesota9.5New Hampshire: 8.4 %New Hampshire8.4Utah: 7.5 %Utah7.5
%. 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

RankStates2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Mississippi26-1.6 pts
2Louisiana24.3-2.1 pts
3District of Columbia22.3+1.5 pts
4New Mexico21.6-1.9 pts
5Alabama20.9-1 pts
6Arkansas20.8-0.9 pts
7West Virginia20.3-0.5 pts
8Georgia19.50 pts
9Kentucky19.4-1.5 pts
10Texas18.8-0.4 pts
11South Carolina18.7-1.2 pts
12Oklahoma18.6-1.1 pts
13Tennessee18.4-1 pts
14North Carolina17.9-1.4 pts
15Arizona17.6-1.6 pts
16Florida17.2-1 pts
17Michigan16.8-0.7 pts
18Nevada16.7-0.9 pts
18New York16.7-1.5 pts
20Ohio16.6-1.5 pts
21Missouri15.5-1.5 pts
22Delaware15.1-1.2 pts
23Indiana14.9-0.2 pts
24California14.6-1 pts
24Montana14.6-0.8 pts
26Rhode Island14.5-2 pts
27Pennsylvania14.3-2.2 pts
28Illinois13.9-1.7 pts
28South Dakota13.9-1 pts
30Kansas13-1.3 pts
31Maine12.8-1 pts
32New Jersey12.6+0.4 pts
33Wisconsin12.4-1.1 pts
34Alaska12.3-0.9 pts
35Oregon12.2-1.4 pts
35Virginia12.2-1.1 pts
37Iowa12-0.8 pts
38Connecticut11.8-1.7 pts
39Idaho11.6-1.1 pts
40Maryland11.2-1.1 pts
41Washington11-1 pts
42Massachusetts10.9-1.1 pts
42North Dakota10.90 pts
44Colorado10.6-0.6 pts
45Hawaii10.4-0.8 pts
46Wyoming10.3-1.4 pts
47Nebraska10.1-1.4 pts
48Vermont10-0.8 pts
49Minnesota9.5-1.5 pts
50New Hampshire8.4+0.3 pts
51Utah7.5-2.1 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_child_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2020. 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/us-states?period=2020.
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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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 26% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Utah, with 7.5% in 2020.

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