A report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation indicates that children's wellbeing in the U.S. has declined from 2019 to 2024, with 29 states showing worse outcomes compared to pre-pandemic levels. The report highlights that children's wellbeing is crucial for future workforce participation and economic growth. It measures wellbeing across four categories: economic, education, health, and family/community.
The overall U.S. score decreased from 553 to 547, with child and teen deaths rising by 8% during the same period. The share of children living in cost-burdened households increased from 30% to 31%, affecting approximately 22.4 million children. Health scores fell from 624 to 607, while education scores dropped from 518 to 417, largely due to declines in reading and math proficiency in 47 states. Conversely, family and community scores rose from 518 to 608, and economic wellbeing scores increased from 551 to 557.
The report also notes a decrease in Medicaid enrollment among children, raising concerns about future wellbeing and economic security as costs for basic necessities continue to rise. Despite these challenges, some states have shown improvements, with South Carolina achieving the largest increase in scores. The report emphasizes the impact of government policies and funding on children's outcomes, indicating that investments in families and children lead to better results.
