This web page is a concept developed by Chris Lysy of freshspectrum.com for educational purposes. You can see how the post was created, and all of the original materials by following this link.
Economic Well-Being
Indicators: child poverty; stable parental employment; high housing cost burdens; teens not in school or working
Children do better when their families have enough money to cover the basics — housing, food, health care, and stable child care. When families can’t meet those needs, it affects kids in ways that can last a lifetime.
This section looks at four measures of family financial security. Together they show not just whether families are poor, but whether their situation is stable. A family can be above the poverty line and still be one missed paycheck away from losing housing. A parent can be employed and still not have steady hours or predictable income.
States that rank well here tend to have lower costs of living, stronger labor markets, and more access to public supports. States that rank poorly often have a combination of low wages, high housing costs, and fewer safety net programs.
1. Children in Poverty
KIDS COUNT definition: The percentage of children under age 18 who live in families with incomes below 100% of the U.S. poverty threshold. In 2023, a family of two adults and two children lived in poverty if annual income fell below $30,900. Source: American Community Survey.
What moves this number: Direct cash to families works. The 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit cut child poverty from 14% to 5.2%. When it expired, poverty rebounded to 12.4% within a year.
A few sources for additional context:
- Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy — tracks the CTC’s effects in real time.
- Brookings / Hamilton Project — “The Antipoverty Effects of the Expanded Child Tax Credit Across States“
- JAMA Pediatrics (2026) — “Child Poverty Trends by Race and Ethnicity in the US From 2022 to 2025“
2. Children Whose Parents Lack Secure Employment
KIDS COUNT definition: The share of children under 18 where no parent works at least 35 hours per week for at least 50 weeks per year. For single-parent families, the resident parent; for married couples, neither parent. Children living with no parent are also counted. Source: American Community Survey.
What moves this number: Job quality matters as much as job access. Income that swings up and down month to month harms children beyond just earning less — unstable schedules and gig work count here even when unemployment is low.
A few sources for additional context:
- Economic Policy Institute — “State of Working America” data library, wages and job quality by state.
- Pew Charitable Trusts — “How Income Volatility Interacts With American Families’ Financial Security”
- Economic Security Project — “The Affordability Framework“
3. Children in Households with High Housing Cost Burden
KIDS COUNT definition: The percentage of children under 18 who live in households spending more than 30% of pretax income on housing costs, including rent, mortgage, taxes, and insurance. Source: American Community Survey.
What moves this number: Housing subsidies and eviction prevention lower this number directly. Only about one in four eligible families receives housing assistance — that gap is a policy choice, not a capacity limit.
A few sources for additional context:
- Eviction Lab (Princeton) — national eviction data by city, searchable.
- Matthew Desmond — Poverty, by America (2023) — argues unaffordable housing results from specific policy decisions.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition — “Out of Reach,” hourly wage needed to afford rent in every state.
4. Teens Not in School and Not Working
KIDS COUNT definition: The percentage of teenagers ages 16–19 not enrolled in school (full or part time) and not employed (full or part time). Source: American Community Survey.
What moves this number: Reconnection programs, mentoring, and economic opportunity for young people reduce disconnection. COVID pulled many teens out of school who never returned — extended disconnection compounds over time.
- Measure of America — “Broad Recovery, Persistent Inequity: Youth Disconnection in America“
- Brookings Institution — “Student-level attendance patterns show depth, breadth, and persistence of post-pandemic absenteeism“
- Aspen Institute — Opportunity Youth Forum, policy and program resources.
This dashboard was developed by Chris Lysy at freshspectrum.com as part of the Before and After series — adapting publicly available research to make it more accessible. It is an attempt to recreate the 2025 interactive data book, using the interactive format to share additional data.