A new study shows about a quarter of kids in Missouri were living in poverty in 2012. The 25th annual Kids Court report from the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation was released today. It ranked Missouri 29th compared to the other U.S. states in 16 indicators across four areas: economic well-being, education, health and family and community.
The report shows that 23 percent of children in Missouri were living in poverty in 2012. That’s up one percentage point from last year and up from 19% in 2008.
Seven percent of kids lacked health insurance in 2012—unchanged from 2008.
Arkansas was ranked 41st in the latest report. It says that 29 percent of Arkansas children were living in poverty in 2012 and six percent lacked health insurance.
The Kids Count Report ranked Massachusetts first and Mississippi last.
To view Missouri's full report, click here.