Child poverty rate by state (2024)

Child poverty rate by state

Louisiana and Mississippi share the highest estimate (25.2%); New Hampshire has the lowest (6.6%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year, 2024.

Data year: 2024Source released Sept. 11, 2025Last updated Oct. 23, 2026GCT1704

50 ranked states; DC and Puerto Rico appear as reference rows where the source supplies them. Highest does not mean best. Ranks reflect point estimates; close values may not differ statistically.

State distribution and comparisons

The middle of the 50-state distribution is 13.85%: the average of the 25th and 26th ordered state estimates. This treats each state equally, so it answers a different question from a population-weighted national estimate.

One other state is statistically tied with Louisiana at 90% confidence: Mississippi. This is not a confidence interval for rank, and testing multiple pairs increases false-positive risk.

See the top ten estimates with their 90% margins of error

Shared axis spans the complete 50-state estimate ± MOE range. Intervals describe individual estimates; overlapping intervals alone are not our significance test.

How does this compare with poverty rate?

These states’ ranks change the most between child poverty rate and poverty rate. These comparisons identify different questions worth investigating; a rank gap does not measure a causal effect or a statistical difference between unlike units.

State	Child poverty rate	Poverty rate
Delaware	12.6% · #33	9.6% · #43
New Jersey	11.7% · #36	9.2% · #46
Idaho	11.1% · #42	10.5% · #32

Values over time

Annual ACS 1-year estimates, 2021–2024. Each year is a separate published survey release; 2020 is excluded because the Census Bureau did not release standard 1-year estimates for that year. Ranks are recalculated among the same 50 states for each year.

Choose a state

Child poverty rate · 2024 · Percent
Rank	State / jurisdiction	Value	90% margin of error	Difference from previous rank
1	Louisiana	25.2%	± 1.5%	Highest estimate
1	Mississippi	25.2%	± 1.7%	Not distinguishable at 90%
3	New Mexico	21.8%	± 2.1%	Different at 90%
4	West Virginia	21.6%	± 1.8%	Not distinguishable at 90%
5	Alabama	20.2%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
6	Arkansas	20.0%	± 1.5%	Not distinguishable at 90%
7	Kentucky	19.3%	± 1.2%	Not distinguishable at 90%
8	Tennessee	19.1%	± 1.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
9	Oklahoma	18.9%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
10	South Carolina	18.3%	± 1.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
11	Michigan	18.0%	± 0.7%	Not distinguishable at 90%
12	New York	17.9%	± 0.6%	Not distinguishable at 90%
12	Texas	17.9%	± 0.5%	Not distinguishable at 90%
14	North Carolina	16.5%	± 0.7%	Different at 90%
14	Ohio	16.5%	± 0.7%	Not distinguishable at 90%
16	Indiana	16.4%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
17	Georgia	16.3%	± 0.8%	Not distinguishable at 90%
17	Rhode Island	16.3%	± 3.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
19	Florida	15.5%	± 0.8%	Not distinguishable at 90%
20	Missouri	15.4%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
21	Pennsylvania	15.3%	± 0.7%	Not distinguishable at 90%
22	Arizona	14.6%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
22	California	14.6%	± 0.4%	Not distinguishable at 90%
22	Nevada	14.6%	± 1.9%	Not distinguishable at 90%
25	Illinois	14.1%	± 0.6%	Not distinguishable at 90%
26	Iowa	13.6%	± 1.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
27	Connecticut	13.4%	± 1.4%	Not distinguishable at 90%
28	Alaska	13.0%	± 2.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
28	Oregon	13.0%	± 1.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
30	Kansas	12.8%	± 1.3%	Not distinguishable at 90%
30	North Dakota	12.8%	± 2.4%	Not distinguishable at 90%
32	Maine	12.7%	± 1.6%	Not distinguishable at 90%
33	Delaware	12.6%	± 3.2%	Not distinguishable at 90%
34	Wisconsin	12.2%	± 0.9%	Not distinguishable at 90%
35	Nebraska	12.0%	± 1.3%	Not distinguishable at 90%
36	New Jersey	11.7%	± 0.7%	Not distinguishable at 90%
36	Virginia	11.7%	± 0.8%	Not distinguishable at 90%
38	Colorado	11.5%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
38	Hawaii	11.5%	± 1.9%	Not distinguishable at 90%
40	Washington	11.4%	± 0.7%	Not distinguishable at 90%
41	South Dakota	11.2%	± 1.6%	Not distinguishable at 90%
42	Idaho	11.1%	± 1.4%	Not distinguishable at 90%
42	Massachusetts	11.1%	± 0.9%	Not distinguishable at 90%
44	Montana	11.0%	± 1.6%	Not distinguishable at 90%
45	Maryland	10.6%	± 1.1%	Not distinguishable at 90%
46	Minnesota	9.5%	± 0.8%	Not distinguishable at 90%
46	Wyoming	9.5%	± 2.4%	Not distinguishable at 90%
48	Vermont	9.1%	± 1.8%	Not distinguishable at 90%
49	Utah	8.6%	± 1.0%	Not distinguishable at 90%
50	New Hampshire	6.6%	± 1.2%	Different at 90%
Ref.	District of ColumbiaNot ranked among states	28.3%	± 5.5%	Reference jurisdiction
Ref.	Puerto RicoNot ranked among states	51.8%	± 1.9%	Reference jurisdiction

Child poverty rate · 2024 · Percent

Rank

State / jurisdiction

Value

90% margin of error

Difference from previous rank

Louisiana

25.2%

± 1.5%

Highest estimate

Mississippi

25.2%

± 1.7%

Not distinguishable at 90%

New Mexico

21.8%

± 2.1%

Different at 90%

West Virginia

21.6%

± 1.8%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Alabama

20.2%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Arkansas

20.0%

± 1.5%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Kentucky

19.3%

± 1.2%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Tennessee

19.1%

± 1.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Oklahoma

18.9%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

South Carolina

18.3%

± 1.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Michigan

18.0%

± 0.7%

Not distinguishable at 90%

New York

17.9%

± 0.6%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Texas

17.9%

± 0.5%

Not distinguishable at 90%

North Carolina

16.5%

± 0.7%

Different at 90%

Ohio

16.5%

± 0.7%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Indiana

16.4%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Georgia

16.3%

± 0.8%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Rhode Island

16.3%

± 3.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Florida

15.5%

± 0.8%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Missouri

15.4%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Pennsylvania

15.3%

± 0.7%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Arizona

14.6%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

California

14.6%

± 0.4%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Nevada

14.6%

± 1.9%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Illinois

14.1%

± 0.6%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Iowa

13.6%

± 1.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Connecticut

13.4%

± 1.4%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Alaska

13.0%

± 2.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Oregon

13.0%

± 1.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Kansas

12.8%

± 1.3%

Not distinguishable at 90%

North Dakota

12.8%

± 2.4%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Maine

12.7%

± 1.6%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Delaware

12.6%

± 3.2%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Wisconsin

12.2%

± 0.9%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Nebraska

12.0%

± 1.3%

Not distinguishable at 90%

New Jersey

11.7%

± 0.7%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Virginia

11.7%

± 0.8%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Colorado

11.5%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Hawaii

11.5%

± 1.9%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Washington

11.4%

± 0.7%

Not distinguishable at 90%

South Dakota

11.2%

± 1.6%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Idaho

11.1%

± 1.4%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Massachusetts

11.1%

± 0.9%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Montana

11.0%

± 1.6%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Maryland

10.6%

± 1.1%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Minnesota

9.5%

± 0.8%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Wyoming

9.5%

± 2.4%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Vermont

9.1%

± 1.8%

Not distinguishable at 90%

Utah

8.6%

± 1.0%

Not distinguishable at 90%

New Hampshire

6.6%

± 1.2%

Different at 90%

Ref.

District of ColumbiaNot ranked among states

28.3%

± 5.5%

Reference jurisdiction

Ref.

Puerto RicoNot ranked among states

51.8%

± 1.9%

Reference jurisdiction

What this ranking measures

Children under 18 below the official poverty threshold, among children for whom poverty status is determined.

The denominator is children, not all residents. Household resources and family composition affect the threshold.

The size of the gap

The difference between the highest and lowest state estimates is 18.6 percentage points. The U.S. benchmark is 15.5%. It is not a simple average of the states.

18 states have point estimates above the U.S. benchmark and 31 below it, with 1 equal to it. These counts do not establish statistical significance.

How much should you read into a rank?

Each estimate has a 90% margin of error published by the Census Bureau. For two different states, we flag a difference only when its absolute size exceeds the square root of the sum of their squared margins of error. The comparison tool applies this check to every selected pair.

Non-significance is not proof of equality. These pairwise tests are not adjusted for multiple comparisons and do not form ranking confidence intervals. Statistical method and limitations.

Ranks use the full precision of the source file, so only truly equal values share a rank (1, 2, 2, 4).

Keep exploring

How income definitions change a ranking.

Explore the same states in a side-by-side comparison, or combine this measure with others in the custom ranking tool.

Source and method

Producer: U.S. Census Bureau
Product / file: ACS 1-year · GCT1704
Period: 2024
Unit: Percent
Calculation: Published estimate; no transformation of the value. Rank = 1 + number of eligible jurisdictions with a higher value.
Coverage: The 50 states are ranked. Washington, D.C., can be added with the toggle above the table; Puerto Rico is shown for reference only, where the source covers it.
Cadence: Annual. 2025 ACS 1-year estimates scheduled for October 29, 2026 (Census ACS updates page); adoption follows editorial review.
Independence: Rank the States is independent. The agencies that produce the source data do not endorse these rankings.

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Rank the States. Child poverty rate, 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year, GCT1704; released 2025-09-11. Edition 2026-10-23. https://rankthestates.com/data/editions/2026-10-23/child-poverty-rate.csv

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Updates and corrections

Last updated Oct. 23, 2026. Earlier editions stay available on the data page, and every change is listed in the update log. If a number or definition looks wrong, report an error with the state, value, and source you checked.

Child poverty rate by state

State distribution and comparisons

How does this compare with poverty rate?

Values over time

The state-by-state view

What this ranking measures

The size of the gap

How much should you read into a rank?

Keep exploring

Source and method

Download, cite, or embed

Updates and corrections

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