Why This Indicator Matters
Growing up poor has wide-ranging and long-lasting repercussions.
Poverty elevates a child’s risk of experiencing behavioral, social and emotional and health challenges. Child poverty also reduces skill-building opportunities and academic outcomes, undercutting a young student’s capacity to learn, graduate high school and more.
What is the rate of child poverty in the U.S.?
Currently, 16% of all children in the United States — 11.4 million kids total — are living in poverty. A family of four with annual earnings below $30,900 is considered poor. In the last decade, the percentage of U.S. children in poverty peaked at 23% in 2012, and fell to 16% 2023.
This indicator is included in the KIDS COUNT Index. Read the KIDS COUNT Data Book to learn more about child poverty levels.