As of 2019, more than 12 million U.S. children — 16.8% of all Americans under the age of 18 — were living below the poverty line in this country. This is significantly higher than the overall national poverty rate of 12.3%.

Child poverty varies widely from state to state. In some parts of the country, fewer than 10% of children live below the poverty line. In others, more than a quarter of children are impoverished. None of the six New England states have a child poverty rate exceeding the U.S. average for children of 16.8%. On the other hand, of the seven states with child poverty rates over 20%, six are in the South.

Though the federal poverty level is the same for all states and the District of Columbia, the reality is that a dollar goes much farther in some parts of the country than others. In some states, the cost of living for most families of two is less than $45,000 per year, including housing and food costs. In other states, that cost can be well over $65,000. This is the income a family really needs to avoid poverty in every state.

Children are more likely to live in poverty than adults in the U.S. The overall national poverty rate is 12.3%, but the poverty rate for those under 18 years old is 16.8%. In Georgia, the child poverty rate is higher than the national rate, at 18.7%. This is the 14th highest child poverty rate among states.

Georgia has a relatively low median household income, at $61,980. The U.S. median is $65,712. Families are much more likely to have very low incomes in Georgia compared to other states. Nationwide, 3.3% of families earn less than $10,000 per year. In Georgia, 3.7% of families live on less than $10,000 annually — tied for the 12th highest percentage of all states.

To determine the number of children living in poverty and the child poverty rate in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed poverty and population data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Supplemental data also came from the ACS.

State	Child poverty rate (%)	Child poverty rate rank	Total children in poverty	Median Household Income ($)	Overall poverty rate (%)
Alabama	21.4	6th highest	228,412	51,734	15.5
Alaska	13.0	14th lowest – tied	22,921	75,463	10.1
Arizona	19.1	13th highest	308,459	62,055	13.5
Arkansas	22.1	4th highest	151,448	48,952	16.2
California	15.6	24th highest	1,363,574	80,440	11.8
Colorado	10.9	5th lowest	135,405	77,127	9.3
Connecticut	14.1	22nd lowest	101,233	78,833	10.0
Delaware	16.4	22nd highest	32,277	70,176	11.3
Florida	17.7	17th highest	737,415	59,227	12.7
Georgia	18.7	14th highest	461,456	61,980	13.3
Hawaii	12.4	13th lowest	36,461	83,102	9.3
Idaho	13.2	17th lowest	58,188	60,999	11.2
Illinois	15.7	23rd highest	436,327	69,187	11.5
Indiana	15.2	25th highest	230,725	57,603	11.9
Iowa	13.0	14th lowest – tied	92,018	61,691	11.2
Kansas	14.7	23rd lowest	101,094	62,087	11.4
Kentucky	21.7	5th highest	212,130	52,295	16.3
Louisiana	27.0	2nd highest	288,732	51,073	19.0
Maine	13.8	20th lowest	32,746	58,924	10.9
Maryland	12.0	10th lowest – tied	156,992	86,738	9.0
Massachusetts	11.6	8th lowest – tied	154,457	85,843	9.4
Michigan	17.6	18th highest	371,020	59,584	13.0
Minnesota	11.2	7th lowest	143,006	74,593	9.0
Mississippi	28.1	the highest	192,413	45,792	19.6
Missouri	17.1	19th highest	229,336	57,409	12.9
Montana	14.9	24th lowest	32,888	57,153	12.6
Nebraska	11.0	6th lowest	51,085	63,229	9.9
Nevada	16.9	20th highest – tied	114,886	63,276	12.5
New Hampshire	7.1	the lowest	17,609	77,933	7.3
New Jersey	12.3	12th lowest	235,470	85,751	9.2
New Mexico	24.9	3rd highest	115,997	51,945	18.2
New York	18.1	16th highest	711,686	72,108	13.0
North Carolina	19.5	11th highest	440,230	57,341	13.6
North Dakota	10.2	3rd lowest – tied	17,823	64,577	10.6
Ohio	18.4	15th highest	466,168	58,642	13.1
Oklahoma	19.9	8th highest	186,392	54,449	15.2
Oregon	13.1	16th lowest	110,323	67,058	11.4
Pennsylvania	16.9	20th highest – tied	434,904	63,463	12.0
Rhode Island	14.0	21st lowest	28,009	71,169	10.8
South Carolina	19.7	9th highest – tied	214,772	56,227	13.8
South Dakota	15.0	25th lowest	31,425	59,533	11.9
Tennessee	19.7	9th highest – tied	290,815	56,071	13.9
Texas	19.2	12th highest	1,400,918	64,034	13.6
Utah	9.9	2nd lowest	91,433	75,780	8.9
Vermont	10.2	3rd lowest – tied	11,320	63,001	10.2
Virginia	13.4	18th lowest	244,953	76,456	9.9
Washington	12.0	10th lowest – tied	196,520	78,687	9.8
West Virginia	20.1	7th highest	69,975	48,850	16.0
Wisconsin	13.5	19th lowest	167,605	64,168	10.4
Wyoming	11.6	8th lowest – tied	15,088	65,003	10.1

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