North Carolina ranks 34th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The state dropped one spot from last year.
The annual report evaluates all 50 states based on four key areas: education, health, economic well-being, and family and community. North Carolina performed best in education, ranking 23rd, and worst in health, ranking 36th.
“This data helps us understand where we must invest to better support families and improve outcomes for children,” said Erica Palmer Smith, executive director of NC Child, the state’s KIDS COUNT affiliate. “North Carolina should aim to be first in the nation when it comes to our children’s futures.”
Education Struggles Worsen Post-Pandemic
Despite the state’s best ranking being in education, most indicators showed declines compared to pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 70% of fourth-graders were not proficient in reading, up from 64% in 2019 and matching the national rate.
Math performance also dropped. In 2024, 69% of eighth-graders were not proficient, up from 63% in 2019. Still, this was slightly better than the national average of 73%.
The high school graduation rate held steady, with 14% of students not graduating on time — unchanged from 2018-19.
Access to early education declined. From 2019 to 2023, 60% of North Carolina’s 3- and 4-year-olds were not in preschool, compared to 57% in the previous period. Nationally, the rate rose from 52% to 54%. North Carolina dropped from 31st to 37th in this category.
“Access to early learning helps children meet important developmental milestones,” Smith said. “Limited availability and high costs hurt not only children but also working families and our economy.”
Health Outcomes Lag Behind
North Carolina ranked 36th in children’s health. Many indicators remained stable, though some worsened.
The percentage of low birthweight babies rose slightly from 9.3% to 9.4% between 2019 and 2023. The national average was 8.6%.
The share of children without health insurance fell from 6% to 5%, following national trends.
However, child and teen death rates increased from 27 to 35 per 100,000 youth, compared to a national rise from 25 to 29. Rates of overweight and obesity among children ages 10 to 17 remained steady at 31%, matching the national average.
Economic Well-Being Shows Modest Gains
The state ranked 29th in economic well-being, showing some improvement in key areas.
Child poverty declined from 20% in 2019 to 18% in 2023, though this remains above the national rate of 16%.
One in four children lived in households where no parent had secure employment in 2023, slightly better than 26% in 2019.
Housing affordability worsened slightly, with 27% of children in homes spending more than 30% of their income on housing. The national figure remained at 30%.
Seven percent of teens were not in school and not working — the same as in 2019 and on par with national numbers.
“As costs rise, it’s getting harder for families to make ends meet,” Smith said.
Family and Community Indicators Improve Slightly
In the family and community category, North Carolina ranked 34th but showed some progress.
The percentage of children living in single-parent families dropped from 37% in 2019 to 35% in 2023, close to the national rate of 34%.
The number of children in homes where the head of household lacked a high school diploma decreased from 12% to 11%, mirroring national figures.
Children living in high-poverty neighborhoods fell from 9% during 2014–2018 to 7% during 2019–2023. National rates went from 10% to 8%.
Teen birth rates dropped from 18 per 1,000 girls in 2019 to 15 in 2023. This is still slightly above the national average, which fell from 17 to 13 over the same period.
