Child Poverty Rates

Today 18.3 % of children in the United States live in poverty. The poverty line in July 2006 was $16,009 for a family of 3 with one child and this threshold does not vary by state, but some states have much lower/higher poverty rates than the average. For example in Washington D.C., Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia more than 1 out of every 4 children is in poverty. In Maryland and New Hampshire fewer than 1 in 10 children is in poverty. Child Poverty rates also vary widely by race-ethnicity.


Child Poverty Rates in 1999 by Race-Ethnicity, according to 2000 Census Data

















Overall child poverty in the United States was at 16.6 % in 1999.


Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey and 2000 Census.