| Q: |
Does the proportion of youth living in poverty vary by State? |
| A: |
In 2021, the proportion of children living in poverty ranged from a low of 6.6% in Maryland to a high of 27.5% in New Mexico. |
Proportion of persons living in poverty by State, 2021
| State |
All ages |
Ages 0-17 |
Ages 18-64 |
Over 64 |
| United States |
11.6% |
15.3% |
10.5% |
10.3% |
| Alabama |
15.9% |
22.1% |
13.8% |
14.8% |
| Alaska |
11.4% |
16.6% |
10.1% |
8.0% |
| Arizona |
12.6% |
16.8% |
11.2% |
12.2% |
| Arkansas |
16.8% |
24.3% |
15.0% |
13.2% |
| California |
11.9% |
14.5% |
11.1% |
11.7% |
| Colorado |
7.9% |
9.7% |
7.5% |
7.3% |
| Connecticut |
8.0% |
7.4% |
8.2% |
8.3% |
| Delaware |
11.7% |
17.2% |
11.4% |
6.5% |
| District of Columbia |
14.0% |
18.9% |
11.8% |
17.7% |
| Florida |
12.6% |
18.9% |
11.2% |
10.8% |
| Georgia |
14.0% |
18.4% |
12.7% |
12.4% |
| Hawaii |
10.9% |
13.6% |
10.9% |
8.2% |
| Idaho |
9.3% |
12.6% |
8.9% |
5.7% |
| Illinois |
10.7% |
13.7% |
9.6% |
11.1% |
| Indiana |
10.4% |
12.9% |
9.7% |
9.3% |
| Iowa |
9.7% |
11.9% |
10.4% |
5.1% |
| Kansas |
7.1% |
9.2% |
6.5% |
6.3% |
| Kentucky |
16.2% |
20.6% |
15.1% |
14.7% |
| Louisiana |
18.4% |
26.4% |
15.8% |
16.4% |
| Maine |
9.1% |
12.9% |
9.6% |
4.8% |
| Maryland |
7.7% |
6.6% |
8.6% |
6.1% |
| Massachusetts |
7.6% |
8.9% |
6.7% |
9.2% |
| Michigan |
11.7% |
15.0% |
10.7% |
10.8% |
| Minnesota |
6.9% |
9.8% |
5.9% |
6.2% |
| Mississippi |
17.4% |
23.3% |
16.1% |
14.0% |
| Missouri |
12.3% |
17.9% |
11.5% |
7.6% |
| Montana |
10.7% |
13.7% |
9.5% |
11.2% |
| Nebraska |
8.1% |
10.0% |
7.6% |
7.2% |
| Nevada |
12.8% |
16.7% |
12.2% |
10.1% |
| New Hampshire |
6.9% |
9.5% |
6.6% |
5.5% |
| New Jersey |
7.6% |
7.9% |
7.5% |
7.3% |
| New Mexico |
18.0% |
27.5% |
15.5% |
14.5% |
| New York |
12.5% |
16.1% |
11.1% |
13.3% |
| North Carolina |
11.8% |
16.6% |
10.0% |
12.2% |
| North Dakota |
8.5% |
9.5% |
9.3% |
4.3% |
| Ohio |
11.6% |
15.6% |
11.5% |
7.3% |
| Oklahoma |
15.1% |
19.2% |
14.4% |
11.4% |
| Oregon |
9.2% |
14.0% |
8.5% |
6.7% |
| Pennsylvania |
10.8% |
16.0% |
9.5% |
9.0% |
| Rhode Island |
9.4% |
11.9% |
9.3% |
7.1% |
| South Carolina |
13.7% |
20.3% |
12.6% |
9.4% |
| South Dakota |
8.4% |
11.9% |
6.3% |
10.5% |
| Tennessee |
10.6% |
14.4% |
9.6% |
9.7% |
| Texas |
13.5% |
18.2% |
11.9% |
11.9% |
| Utah |
7.9% |
8.7% |
7.4% |
8.9% |
| Vermont |
7.5% |
7.2% |
8.7% |
4.3% |
| Virginia |
9.8% |
14.3% |
8.2% |
9.6% |
| Washington |
7.7% |
7.9% |
7.1% |
9.6% |
| West Virginia |
16.9% |
19.8% |
17.0% |
13.8% |
| Wisconsin |
9.3% |
12.6% |
9.0% |
6.2% |
| Wyoming |
9.4% |
11.8% |
8.8% |
8.1% |
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- According to 2021 estimates, the proportion of children ages 0 to 17 in poverty (15.3%) was greater than the proportion of all persons in poverty (11.6%). And a greater of proportion of children lived in poverty than persons ages 18 to 64 (10.5%) and persons over age 64 (10.6).
- Nationally, 15.3% - more than 11.1 million - of youth under age 18 were living in poverty in 2021; the proportion of children living in poverty exceeded the national average in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/population/qa01403.asp?qaDate=2021.
Released on January 10, 2023.
Adapted from the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2021 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC). Available from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/cps-pov/pov-11.html. Accessed December 2022.
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