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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