Data / Rankings / Population under 18 / US states

US states by population under 18

Utah had the highest population under 18 of 51 states in 2018, at 29.7%. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 16.7%. The median was 22.3% and the figure for the United States was 22.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest29.7Utah
Lowest16.7District of Columbia
Median22.351 states
United States22.4History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 22.3 %Alaska: 24.8 %Arizona: 23.1 %Arkansas: 23.4 %California: 22.5 %Colorado: 22.5 %Connecticut: 20.7 %Delaware: 21.2 %District of Columbia: 16.7 %Florida: 19.8 %Georgia: 23.7 %Hawaii: 20.9 %Idaho: 25.7 %Illinois: 22.3 %Indiana: 23.7 %Iowa: 23.4 %Kansas: 24.4 %Kentucky: 22.8 %Louisiana: 23.6 %Maine: 18.8 %Maryland: 22.2 %Massachusetts: 19.8 %Michigan: 21.7 %Minnesota: 23.3 %Mississippi: 23.5 %Missouri: 22.6 %Montana: 21.8 %Nebraska: 24.9 %Nevada: 22.7 %New Hampshire: 19.1 %New Jersey: 21.8 %New Mexico: 23.1 %New York: 20.6 %North Carolina: 22.3 %North Dakota: 23.3 %Ohio: 22.2 %Oklahoma: 24.2 %Oregon: 20.9 %Pennsylvania: 20.6 %Rhode Island: 19.4 %South Carolina: 21.9 %South Dakota: 24.7 %Tennessee: 22.4 %Texas: 25.5 %Utah: 29.7 %Vermont: 18.7 %Virginia: 22.1 %Washington: 22.1 %West Virginia: 20.3 %Wisconsin: 22.1 %Wyoming: 23.8 %
  • Under 21
  • 21 to 22
  • 22 to 23
  • 23 to 24
  • 24 and over
%, 2018. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

Utah: 29.7 %Utah29.7Idaho: 25.7 %Idaho25.7Texas: 25.5 %Texas25.5Nebraska: 24.9 %Nebraska24.9Alaska: 24.8 %Alaska24.8South Dakota: 24.7 %South Dakota24.7Kansas: 24.4 %Kansas24.4Oklahoma: 24.2 %Oklahoma24.2Wyoming: 23.8 %Wyoming23.8Georgia: 23.7 %Georgia23.7Indiana: 23.7 %Indiana23.7Louisiana: 23.6 %Louisiana23.6Mississippi: 23.5 %Mississippi23.5Arkansas: 23.4 %Arkansas23.4Iowa: 23.4 %Iowa23.4North Dakota: 23.3 %North Dakota23.3Minnesota: 23.3 %Minnesota23.3New Mexico: 23.1 %New Mexico23.1Arizona: 23.1 %Arizona23.1Kentucky: 22.8 %Kentucky22.8Nevada: 22.7 %Nevada22.7Missouri: 22.6 %Missouri22.6California: 22.5 %California22.5Colorado: 22.5 %Colorado22.5Tennessee: 22.4 %Tennessee22.4Illinois: 22.3 %Illinois22.3Alabama: 22.3 %Alabama22.3North Carolina: 22.3 %North Carolina22.3Maryland: 22.2 %Maryland22.2Ohio: 22.2 %Ohio22.2Washington: 22.1 %Washington22.1Wisconsin: 22.1 %Wisconsin22.1Virginia: 22.1 %Virginia22.1South Carolina: 21.9 %South Carolina21.9Montana: 21.8 %Montana21.8New Jersey: 21.8 %New Jersey21.8Michigan: 21.7 %Michigan21.7Delaware: 21.2 %Delaware21.2Hawaii: 20.9 %Hawaii20.9Oregon: 20.9 %Oregon20.9Connecticut: 20.7 %Connecticut20.7New York: 20.6 %New York20.6Pennsylvania: 20.6 %Pennsylvania20.6West Virginia: 20.3 %West Virginia20.3Florida: 19.8 %Florida19.8Massachusetts: 19.8 %Massachusetts19.8Rhode Island: 19.4 %Rhode Island19.4New Hampshire: 19.1 %New Hampshire19.1Maine: 18.8 %Maine18.8Vermont: 18.7 %Vermont18.7District of Columbia: 16.7 %District of Columbia16.7Utah: 29.7 %Utah29.7Idaho: 25.7 %Idaho25.7Texas: 25.5 %Texas25.5Nebraska: 24.9 %Nebraska24.9Alaska: 24.8 %Alaska24.8South Dakota: 24.7 %South Dakota24.7Kansas: 24.4 %Kansas24.4Oklahoma: 24.2 %Oklahoma24.2Wyoming: 23.8 %Wyoming23.8Georgia: 23.7 %Georgia23.7Indiana: 23.7 %Indiana23.7Louisiana: 23.6 %Louisiana23.6Mississippi: 23.5 %Mississippi23.5Arkansas: 23.4 %Arkansas23.4Iowa: 23.4 %Iowa23.4North Dakota: 23.3 %North Dakota23.3Minnesota: 23.3 %Minnesota23.3New Mexico: 23.1 %New Mexico23.1Arizona: 23.1 %Arizona23.1Kentucky: 22.8 %Kentucky22.8Nevada: 22.7 %Nevada22.7Missouri: 22.6 %Missouri22.6California: 22.5 %California22.5Colorado: 22.5 %Colorado22.5Tennessee: 22.4 %Tennessee22.4Illinois: 22.3 %Illinois22.3Alabama: 22.3 %Alabama22.3North Carolina: 22.3 %North Carolina22.3Maryland: 22.2 %Maryland22.2Ohio: 22.2 %Ohio22.2Washington: 22.1 %Washington22.1Wisconsin: 22.1 %Wisconsin22.1Virginia: 22.1 %Virginia22.1South Carolina: 21.9 %South Carolina21.9Montana: 21.8 %Montana21.8New Jersey: 21.8 %New Jersey21.8Michigan: 21.7 %Michigan21.7Delaware: 21.2 %Delaware21.2Hawaii: 20.9 %Hawaii20.9Oregon: 20.9 %Oregon20.9Connecticut: 20.7 %Connecticut20.7New York: 20.6 %New York20.6Pennsylvania: 20.6 %Pennsylvania20.6West Virginia: 20.3 %West Virginia20.3Florida: 19.8 %Florida19.8Massachusetts: 19.8 %Massachusetts19.8Rhode Island: 19.4 %Rhode Island19.4New Hampshire: 19.1 %New Hampshire19.1Maine: 18.8 %Maine18.8Vermont: 18.7 %Vermont18.7District of Columbia: 16.7 %District of Columbia16.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Utah29.7-0.4 pts
2Idaho25.7-0.3 pts
3Texas25.5-0.3 pts
4Nebraska24.9-0.1 pts
5Alaska24.8-0.2 pts
6South Dakota24.7-0.1 pts
7Kansas24.4-0.2 pts
8Oklahoma24.2-0.1 pts
9Wyoming23.8-0.2 pts
10Georgia23.7-0.3 pts
11Indiana23.7-0.1 pts
12Louisiana23.6-0.2 pts
13Mississippi23.5-0.2 pts
14Arkansas23.4-0.1 pts
15Iowa23.4-0.1 pts
16North Dakota23.3+0.1 pts
17Minnesota23.3-0.1 pts
18New Mexico23.1-0.3 pts
19Arizona23.1-0.4 pts
20Kentucky22.8-0.1 pts
21Nevada22.7-0.2 pts
22Missouri22.6-0.1 pts
23California22.5-0.3 pts
24Colorado22.5-0.3 pts
25Tennessee22.4-0.2 pts
26Illinois22.3-0.2 pts
27Alabama22.3-0.1 pts
28North Carolina22.3-0.2 pts
29Maryland22.2-0.1 pts
30Ohio22.2-0.1 pts
31Washington22.1-0.2 pts
32Wisconsin22.1-0.2 pts
33Virginia22.1-0.1 pts
34South Carolina21.9-0.2 pts
35Montana21.8-0.2 pts
36New Jersey21.8-0.1 pts
37Michigan21.7-0.2 pts
38Delaware21.2-0.2 pts
39Hawaii20.9-0.2 pts
40Oregon20.9-0.3 pts
41Connecticut20.7-0.2 pts
42New York20.6-0.2 pts
43Pennsylvania20.6-0.1 pts
44West Virginia20.3-0.1 pts
45Florida19.8-0.2 pts
46Massachusetts19.8-0.2 pts
47Rhode Island19.4-0.1 pts
48New Hampshire19.1-0.2 pts
49Maine18.8-0.2 pts
50Vermont18.7-0.2 pts
51District of Columbia16.7-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of total population on 1 July. United States: Census Bureau county population estimates by age; states and the nation are sums of their counties.

Uses the US age of majority. Not comparable with population_0_14_share, which stops at 14.

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. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. 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). Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties (US states by population under 18, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html

MLA 9

Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, US states by population under 18, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 June 2026, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. US states by population under 18, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, US states by population under 18, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_population_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: US states by population under 18, 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: US states by population under 18, 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank US states by population under 18 using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest population under 18?

Utah, with 29.7% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest population under 18?

District of Columbia, with 16.7% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Population under 18: other rankings

US states: more rankings