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2005 Massachusetts KIDS COUNT Fact Sheets |
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 2005 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Massachusetts ranks 6th among all states in a new state-by-state study that reports on the well-being of America's children. The 2005 KIDS COUNT Data Book reveals that Massachusetts improved in three out of 10 measures that reflect child well-being, experiencing setbacks in four measures and no change in three others since 2000. This year's report also calls attention to the increasing number of children nationwide living in families struggling with chronic unemployment.
High share of Massachusetts' children live in households where no adult works.
In 2003, approximately 86,000 Massachusetts children were living in low-income households, where no adult worked in the past year, representing 6 percent of the state's children. The national rate in 2003 for children who live in low-income, non-working households was 5 percent.
Teen birth rate continues to fall.
In 2002, Massachusetts saw 23 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19, down from 26 per 1,000 in 2000. This 12-percent improvement earned the state a ranking of 2nd best in the nation on this indicator.
State's high school dropout rate dramatically improves.
Between 2000 and 2003, Massachusetts' high school dropout rate improved by 38-percent, falling from 8 to 5 percent. The national rate also improved during this time period, dropping from 11 to 8 percent.
Higher share of teens are considered idle.
Despite Massachusetts' improving high school dropout rate, 8 percent of teens were not in school and not working in 2003. This is a 33-percent setback from 2000, when the state's idle teen rate was 6 percent.
Nearly one-third of Massachusetts children lack securely-employed parents.
In 2000 and 2003, 31 percent of Massachusetts children lived in families where no adult held full-time, year-round employment. Massachusetts held the 20th rank among all states on this measure, its worst ranking of any indicator.
Previous Annual Fact Sheets
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Learn the Facts!
- 12% of the state's children live in poverty.
- In 2008, Massachusetts was home to 169,000 poor children (100% FPL), and 78,000 extremely poor children (50% FPL).
- 372,00 children are now considered low income (200% of FPL), 6,000 more children than the previous year, indicating more middle class children are slipping into poverty.
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