Want to Give Your Kids a Good Childhood? Move Here
If you're looking to give your kid a good childhood, head to New England. In the 25th edition of the KIDS COUNT Data Book, produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Northeast is the spot for raising children. The foundation ranked states based on four factors: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Minnesota ranked highest for overall well-being. Coming in at the bottom: Arizona, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Mississippi.
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The report also shares statistics for each of its individual categories, which paints a different regional picture. North and South Dakota lead the economic prosperity list. Massachusetts and New Jersey earned good marks for education. Iowa and Massachusetts sit atop the health list. Meanwhile, New Hampshire and Utah are the leaders for family and community.
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"A child's chances of thriving depend not just on individual, familial, and community characteristics, but also on the state in which she or he is born and raised," the report's authors wrote. This is due to differences in state laws and policies, plus economic, cultural, and environmental factors that can differ by region.
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On a national scale, the report singles out some scary statistics. The number of kids living below the poverty line in the U.S. has increased to 22%, up from 16% in 1990. But even parents who don't live in the top states have something to cheer about. There has been a steady increase in the number of children attending preschool, and almost every state, plus the District of Columbia, saw improvements in math proficiency.
-Megan Friedman
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