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.
Nearly one-third of Massachusetts
children lack securely-employed parents.
In 2000 and 2003, 31 percent of
Massachusetts children lived in families where no parent held
full-time, year-round employment. Massachusetts held the 20th
rank among all states on this measure, its worst ranking of any
indicator.
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.
Higher share of teens are
considered idle.
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.
Massachusetts improved in three
measures:
Teen birth rate from 26 per thousand in
2000 to 23 per thousand in 2002
Children in poverty from 14% in 2000 to
12% in 2003
High school drop out rate from 8% in
2000 to 5% in 2003
Massachusetts declined in four
measures:
Low birth weight babies from 7.1% in
2000 to 7.5% 2002
Infant mortality from 4.6 deaths per
thousand live births in 2000 to 4.9 in 2002
Teen death rate from 40 per 100,000 in
2000 to 42 in 2002.
Teens not attending school and not
working from 6% in 2000 to 8% in 2003
No change:
Child death rate at 15 per 100,000
Children in single parent households at
28%
Children in families where no parent
has full time, year round employment at 31%
