Children’s wellbeing has decreased significantly across the United States between 2019 and 2024, with 29 states reporting worse conditions for children compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Children’s wellbeing in the United States has experienced a notable decline over the past five years, according to findings from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s latest report. The report reveals that from 2019 to 2024, overall scores measuring children’s wellbeing fell from 553 to 547, indicating a concerning trend in various aspects of children’s lives.
Scope of the Report
The annual Kids Count Data Book assesses children’s wellbeing across four critical categories: economic stability, education, health, and family and community engagement. This year’s report incorporates data spanning from 2019 to 2024, aimed at evaluating the impact of safety-net investments on children’s lives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leslie Boissiere, Vice President of External Affairs at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, emphasized the importance of child wellbeing for the future workforce, stating, “Research shows that kids who are healthy, safe, fed, educated, and surrounded by strong family relationships have a much better chance to thrive and contribute as independent adults.” She added, “We know that today’s children are tomorrow’s workforce, so the strength of the economy in the future is tied to the wellbeing of kids today.”
Key Findings
The report highlights that while children’s wellbeing declined in 29 states, it improved in 15 others. Notably, five of the top-ranked states for child wellbeing are located in the Northeast region of the United States. Among the alarming statistics presented, child and teen deaths rose by 8% between 2019 and 2024, shedding light on a burgeoning mental health crisis among young people. Boissiere noted, “Some positive trends in terms of states that are investing in providing mental health professionals in school systems” are emerging, yet the overall increase in mortality rates raises significant concerns.
The share of children living in cost-burdened households also increased, rising from 30% to 31%. This translates to approximately 22.4 million children facing economic strain, marking the first increase in this statistic since 2010. The data indicate that health scores dropped from 624 to 607, while educational scores saw a significant decline from 518 to 417, largely due to decreasing proficiency in reading and math across 47 states. Conversely, scores for family and community engagement rose from 518 to 608, and economic wellbeing saw a slight increase from 551 to 557.
Concerns About Future Wellbeing
Boissiere referenced additional data from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, which indicates a troubling trend of decreasing enrollment in Medicaid and an increase in uninsured children. She expressed concern about the implications of these findings, asserting, “Early data does raise some concerns about what’s going to happen in terms of child wellbeing and outcomes for children, particularly around economic security in a time when we know costs are rising for food and housing and basic necessities.”
Geographically, the report noted that eleven of the fifteen lowest-ranked states for child wellbeing are located in the Southern United States. However, noteworthy improvements were observed in several Southern states, including South Carolina, which saw a remarkable increase of 38 points, the largest of any state. This improvement illustrates the potential for positive outcomes when targeted investments are made in child wellbeing.
State-Level Insights
The report also underscores how government policies and funding directly impact the wellbeing of children. For instance, New Mexico, which ranked 49th in overall child wellbeing, experienced a 22-point increase largely attributed to advancements in economic stability. Meanwhile, Mississippi, which ranked last (50th), managed to achieve a score of 448 in education. This success follows the implementation of a 2013 law focused on enhancing third-grade reading proficiency, in addition to sustained investments in public education and teacher training initiatives.
Boissiere remarked, “That’s positive proof that when we make direct investments in families and children, that children do well.” The report also highlighted a significant decrease in the teen birth rate, which fell by 24% over the study period, and has declined nearly 80% since 1990, remaining steady at 13 births per 1,000 teens aged 15 to 19 in 2023 and 2024. This decline is attributed to decades of concerted efforts aimed at reducing teen pregnancies.
Conclusion
The findings from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Book serve as a critical reminder of the ongoing challenges facing children across the United States. According to Boissiere, there exists a “direct correlation” between how states invest in their children and the outcomes for those children. As policymakers and stakeholders assess the implications of these findings, the importance of prioritizing child wellbeing remains paramount for fostering a healthy, productive future workforce.
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