Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2024 KIDS COUNT® Report rates Massachusetts second in the nation for child well-being overall with elements in four domain rankings as follows:
- economic well-being: 15th
- education: 2nd
- health: 1st
- family and community: 10th
Looking deeper, the Massachusetts 2022 statistics compared to 2019 show little to no improvement with sometimes worse outcomes, particularly in education. These trends reflect lingering impacts of the pandemic, particularly in education outcomes, where declines in math and reading proficiency were unprecedented nationwide.
In Massachusetts:
- There were higher percentages of 3- and 4-year-olds not in school (41% in 2019 vs. 43% in 2022).
- The percentage of eighth graders not proficient in math increased from 53% in 2019 to 64% in 2022, and the percentage of fourth graders not proficient in math increased from 55% in 2019 to 57% in 2022.
The education data "underscores the urgent need for action to address the growing academic disparities among U.S. students."
Another concerning finding is that in the Commonwealth and nationwide, "[n]early all well-being indicators show disparate outcomes by race and ethnicity, with American Indian/Alaska Native children and Black children experiencing the lowest well-being levels. struggles to address inequities between families and children of color and their white peers." The report notes, "[t]oday, children of color constitute the majority of the nation's children, highlighting the importance of ensuring their success for the future of America."
One positive national trend was that children living in high poverty areas decreased nationally from 17.2% to 15.9% (and decreased from 6% to 5% in Massachusetts). Parents' economic security also improved, with 62.4% of children living in economically secure homes in 2022, compared to 58.4% in 2021.
Access the KIDS COUNT report and interactive data tables here.