Good, bad news on U.S. children

Source: Washington Post

By Valerie Strauss | July 27, 2010; 3:00 AM ET

Even before the U.S. economic troubles of the late 1990s, the child poverty rate had increased in this decade, affecting nearly one-fifth of American kids, according to a new report released today on the well-being of American kids.

The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book compiled by the nonprofit Annie E. Casey Foundation and released today also shows the following:

*New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Vermont rank highest in child well-being across a number of indicators.
*Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi rank the lowest.
*Virginia ranks 16th, Maryland ranks 25th. The District is not ranked.

The report, using the latest available information, says that the rate of children living in poverty in 2008 was 18 percent, indicating that 1 million more children were living in poverty in that year than in 2000. Experts project that more up-to-date census data will show child poverty climbing to above 20 percent.


Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/health-1/good-and-bad-news-about-child.html

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The report's release has been covered by newspapers all over. Naturally, they concentrate on the data for whatever state they are in.

Red states, blue states -- go for it.