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New report shows US child well-being to decline from 2019 to 2024
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The national score in economic, education, health and family sectors decreased from 553 to 547
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Southern states had some of the biggest gains, while many northeastern and midwestern states saw steep declines.
MONDAY, June 8, 2026 (NewsDay News) – At least in the United States, children are not doing well, according to a new report that shows the nose in the well-being of children from 2019 to 2024.
Across 29 states, the overall U.S. score on a 1,000-point scale fell from 553 to 547, a drop from pre-pandemic numbers, the report said.
The score measures children’s well-being in four categories: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community, according to the Ann E. Casey 2026 Children’s information book.
Here are some notable findings:
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11 of the 15 states with the greatest gains in child well-being were in the South. South Carolina had the highest scoring rate of any state, 38 points.
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Five of the seven states with the lowest levels of well-being were in the Northeast, led by Maine.
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Scores in the West varied widely, from 281 in New Mexico to 759 in Utah, which topped the region.
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Four Midwestern states — Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota — followed Maine for the biggest drops in child welfare.
The goal of this index is to make it easier to see how states are doing over time and how they compare to each other. The foundation notes that “the latest data up to 2024 do not reflect today’s realities for families and children, such as rising costs of living, declining public support and a changing labor market.”
In general, out of 16 indicators, 7 indicators improved, seven indicators worsened, and two indicators remained stable.
On the positive side, the decline in teenage births and the proportion of children living in poverty areas have seen more progress. Other significant improvements in interest were:
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Children live in poverty
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Children living with heads of household who have at least a high school diploma
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Children living with parents who had stable jobs
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Students who have finished high school on time
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Youth aged 10 to 17 who were overweight or obese
On the other hand, these were childhood burdens that affected the overall score:
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The share of children in families with high housing costs increased from 30 percent to 31 percent, affecting approximately 22.4 million children.
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Child and adolescent deaths are set to increase by 8% from 2019 to 2024, underscoring the mental health crisis.
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Health score decreased from 624 to 607. They showed a wide gap between the lowest (122) and highest scoring states (833).
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Education fell from 518 to 417, driven by declines in reading and math scores in 47 states.
For nearly four decades, the annual report has provided the public with a snapshot of children in every state and across the country.
The researchers chose 2019 as their point of comparison because it was the last year before children’s lives were disrupted by the pandemic, they said.
They said the findings highlight the need to strengthen children’s access to stable, nurturing relationships and environments, as well as appropriate resources and support sources.
“Research shows that children who are healthy, safe, well-nourished, educated and surrounded by strong family relationships have a better chance of developing and contributing as independent adults,” she said. Leslie Bussierthe Treasury’s vice president for external affairs, who oversees the data book.
He said there was a “direct correlation” between “how countries invest in children and how children fare”.
More information
UNICEF has more information welfare of children.
SOURCES: 2026 Children’s Handbook: State Trends in Child Welfare, Annie E. Foundation Casey, June 2026; AxiosJune 8, 2026
What does this mean for you?
Children’s lives can benefit from ensuring that they live in safe neighborhoods with access to quality services, education, healthy food, job opportunities and other services.
