Data / Rankings / Population under 18 / US states

US states by population under 18

Utah had the highest population under 18 of 51 states in 2022, at 27.8%. Vermont had the lowest, at 17.8%. The median was 21.8% and the figure for the United States was 21.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27.8Utah
Lowest17.8Vermont
Median21.851 states
United States21.8History

Map of states, 2022

Alabama: 21.9 %Alaska: 24.1 %Arizona: 22 %Arkansas: 23.1 %California: 21.8 %Colorado: 21.1 %Connecticut: 20.1 %Delaware: 20.5 %District of Columbia: 18.1 %Florida: 19.5 %Georgia: 23 %Hawaii: 20.3 %Idaho: 24.4 %Illinois: 21.5 %Indiana: 23.2 %Iowa: 22.9 %Kansas: 23.7 %Kentucky: 22.6 %Louisiana: 23.3 %Maine: 18 %Maryland: 21.9 %Massachusetts: 19.1 %Michigan: 21.1 %Minnesota: 22.7 %Mississippi: 23 %Missouri: 22.3 %Montana: 21.1 %Nebraska: 24.4 %Nevada: 21.8 %New Hampshire: 18.1 %New Jersey: 21.4 %New Mexico: 21.9 %New York: 20.1 %North Carolina: 21.7 %North Dakota: 23.3 %Ohio: 21.8 %Oklahoma: 23.9 %Oregon: 19.9 %Pennsylvania: 20.2 %Rhode Island: 18.6 %South Carolina: 21.4 %South Dakota: 24.3 %Tennessee: 22 %Texas: 24.8 %Utah: 27.8 %Vermont: 17.8 %Virginia: 21.6 %Washington: 21.3 %West Virginia: 20 %Wisconsin: 21.3 %Wyoming: 22.8 %
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 21
  • 21 to 22
  • 22 to 23
  • 23 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2022

Utah: 27.8 %Utah27.8Texas: 24.8 %Texas24.8Idaho: 24.4 %Idaho24.4Nebraska: 24.4 %Nebraska24.4South Dakota: 24.3 %South Dakota24.3Alaska: 24.1 %Alaska24.1Oklahoma: 23.9 %Oklahoma23.9Kansas: 23.7 %Kansas23.7North Dakota: 23.3 %North Dakota23.3Louisiana: 23.3 %Louisiana23.3Indiana: 23.2 %Indiana23.2Arkansas: 23.1 %Arkansas23.1Mississippi: 23 %Mississippi23Georgia: 23 %Georgia23Iowa: 22.9 %Iowa22.9Wyoming: 22.8 %Wyoming22.8Minnesota: 22.7 %Minnesota22.7Kentucky: 22.6 %Kentucky22.6Missouri: 22.3 %Missouri22.3Arizona: 22 %Arizona22Tennessee: 22 %Tennessee22Alabama: 21.9 %Alabama21.9Maryland: 21.9 %Maryland21.9New Mexico: 21.9 %New Mexico21.9Nevada: 21.8 %Nevada21.8Ohio: 21.8 %Ohio21.8California: 21.8 %California21.8North Carolina: 21.7 %North Carolina21.7Virginia: 21.6 %Virginia21.6Illinois: 21.5 %Illinois21.5South Carolina: 21.4 %South Carolina21.4New Jersey: 21.4 %New Jersey21.4Wisconsin: 21.3 %Wisconsin21.3Washington: 21.3 %Washington21.3Colorado: 21.1 %Colorado21.1Montana: 21.1 %Montana21.1Michigan: 21.1 %Michigan21.1Delaware: 20.5 %Delaware20.5Hawaii: 20.3 %Hawaii20.3Pennsylvania: 20.2 %Pennsylvania20.2New York: 20.1 %New York20.1Connecticut: 20.1 %Connecticut20.1West Virginia: 20 %West Virginia20Oregon: 19.9 %Oregon19.9Florida: 19.5 %Florida19.5Massachusetts: 19.1 %Massachusetts19.1Rhode Island: 18.6 %Rhode Island18.6New Hampshire: 18.1 %New Hampshire18.1District of Columbia: 18.1 %District of Columbia18.1Maine: 18 %Maine18Vermont: 17.8 %Vermont17.8Utah: 27.8 %Utah27.8Texas: 24.8 %Texas24.8Idaho: 24.4 %Idaho24.4Nebraska: 24.4 %Nebraska24.4South Dakota: 24.3 %South Dakota24.3Alaska: 24.1 %Alaska24.1Oklahoma: 23.9 %Oklahoma23.9Kansas: 23.7 %Kansas23.7North Dakota: 23.3 %North Dakota23.3Louisiana: 23.3 %Louisiana23.3Indiana: 23.2 %Indiana23.2Arkansas: 23.1 %Arkansas23.1Mississippi: 23 %Mississippi23Georgia: 23 %Georgia23Iowa: 22.9 %Iowa22.9Wyoming: 22.8 %Wyoming22.8Minnesota: 22.7 %Minnesota22.7Kentucky: 22.6 %Kentucky22.6Missouri: 22.3 %Missouri22.3Arizona: 22 %Arizona22Tennessee: 22 %Tennessee22Alabama: 21.9 %Alabama21.9Maryland: 21.9 %Maryland21.9New Mexico: 21.9 %New Mexico21.9Nevada: 21.8 %Nevada21.8Ohio: 21.8 %Ohio21.8California: 21.8 %California21.8North Carolina: 21.7 %North Carolina21.7Virginia: 21.6 %Virginia21.6Illinois: 21.5 %Illinois21.5South Carolina: 21.4 %South Carolina21.4New Jersey: 21.4 %New Jersey21.4Wisconsin: 21.3 %Wisconsin21.3Washington: 21.3 %Washington21.3Colorado: 21.1 %Colorado21.1Montana: 21.1 %Montana21.1Michigan: 21.1 %Michigan21.1Delaware: 20.5 %Delaware20.5Hawaii: 20.3 %Hawaii20.3Pennsylvania: 20.2 %Pennsylvania20.2New York: 20.1 %New York20.1Connecticut: 20.1 %Connecticut20.1West Virginia: 20 %West Virginia20Oregon: 19.9 %Oregon19.9Florida: 19.5 %Florida19.5Massachusetts: 19.1 %Massachusetts19.1Rhode Island: 18.6 %Rhode Island18.6New Hampshire: 18.1 %New Hampshire18.1District of Columbia: 18.1 %District of Columbia18.1Maine: 18 %Maine18Vermont: 17.8 %Vermont17.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Utah27.8-0.5 pts
2Texas24.8-0.2 pts
3Idaho24.4-0.3 pts
4Nebraska24.4-0.2 pts
5South Dakota24.3-0.2 pts
6Alaska24.1-0.2 pts
7Oklahoma23.9-0.1 pts
8Kansas23.7-0.2 pts
9North Dakota23.3-0.1 pts
10Louisiana23.3-0.1 pts
11Indiana23.2-0.1 pts
12Arkansas23.1-0.1 pts
13Mississippi23-0.1 pts
14Georgia23-0.2 pts
15Iowa22.9-0.1 pts
16Wyoming22.8-0.3 pts
17Minnesota22.7-0.2 pts
18Kentucky22.6-0.1 pts
19Missouri22.3-0.1 pts
20Arizona22-0.4 pts
21Tennessee22-0.1 pts
22Alabama21.9-0.1 pts
23Maryland21.9-0.1 pts
24New Mexico21.9-0.4 pts
25Nevada21.8-0.3 pts
26Ohio21.8-0.1 pts
27California21.8-0.3 pts
28North Carolina21.7-0.1 pts
29Virginia21.6-0.1 pts
30Illinois21.5-0.3 pts
31South Carolina21.4-0.2 pts
32New Jersey21.4-0.1 pts
33Wisconsin21.3-0.3 pts
34Washington21.3-0.3 pts
35Colorado21.1-0.4 pts
36Montana21.1-0.2 pts
37Michigan21.1-0.2 pts
38Delaware20.5-0.2 pts
39Hawaii20.3-0.2 pts
40Pennsylvania20.2-0.1 pts
41New York20.1-0.2 pts
42Connecticut20.1-0.1 pts
43West Virginia20-0.1 pts
44Oregon19.9-0.3 pts
45Florida19.5-0.1 pts
46Massachusetts19.1-0.2 pts
47Rhode Island18.6-0.2 pts
48New Hampshire18.1-0.3 pts
49District of Columbia18.1+0.1 pts
50Maine18-0.2 pts
51Vermont17.8-0.2 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, 2022) [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, 2022. 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=2022. 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, 2022. 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=2022.

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, 2022 [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=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_population_2022,
  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, 2022}},
  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=2022. 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, 2022
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=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/us-states?period=2022.
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 27.8% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest population under 18?

Vermont, with 17.8% in 2022.

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