Child Death Rate (deaths per 100,000 children ages 1–14) is the
number of deaths to children between ages 1 and 14, from all causes, per 100,000
children in this age range. The data are reported by the place of residence, not
the place where the death occurred.
SOURCES:
- Death Statistics: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). 2007 data:
Customized microdata file provided by CDC, NCHS. 2000 data: "Deaths by 10-Year Age
Groups: United States and Each State, 2000," accessed online at www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/VS00100.TABLE23B_2000.pdf (January
10, 2003).
- Population Statistics: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of
data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 2007 data: State Characteristics
Population Estimates File, accessed online at www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2007-alldata6.csv
(April 29, 2008). 2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data,
Table P14.
Infant Mortality Rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) is the number
of deaths occurring to infants under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births. The data
are reported by place of residence, not place of death.
SOURCES:
- Death Statistics: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
National Center for Health Statistics. 2007 data: "Deaths: Final
Data for 2007," National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 58, No. 19 (May
20, 2010), Table 32.2000 data: "Deaths: Final Data for 2000," National
Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 50, No. 15 (September 16, 2002), Table 36.
Overall Rank for each state was obtained in the following manner.
First, we converted the 2009 (or 2007/2008, depending on the indicator) numerical
values for each of the 10 key indicators into standard scores. We then summed those
standard scores to create a total standard score for each of the 50 states. Finally,
we ranked the states on the basis of their total standard score in sequential order
from highest/best (1) to lowest/worst (50). Standard scores were derived by subtracting
the mean score from the observed score and dividing the amount by the standard deviation
for that distribution of scores. (Because we did not rank the District of Columbia
or Puerto Rico, we did not include data for these two places in our calculations
of standard scores). All measures were given the same weight in calculating the
total standard score. In other words, no attempt was made to judge the relative
importance of each indicator.
Percent Change Over Time Analysis was computed by comparing the
2009 (or 2007/2008, depending on the indicator) data for each of the 10 key indicators
with the data for the base year (2000). To calculate percent change, we subtracted
the value for 2000 from the value for 2007/2008/2009, and then divided that quantity
by the value for 2000. The results are multiplied by 100 for readability. The percent
change was calculated on rounded data, and the “percent change” figure has been
rounded to the nearest whole number.
Percent Low-Birthweight Babies is the percentage of live births
weighing less than 2,500 grams (5.5 pounds). The data are reported by place of mother's
residence, not place of birth. Each year there are a small number of births in which
the weight of the newborn is not recorded, and births of unknown weight are not
included in these calculations.
SOURCES:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
2008 data: "Births: Final Data for 2008," National Vital Statistics
Reports, Vol. 59, Current Population Survey (CPS) Basic
Monthly Data Files No. 1 (December 8, 2010), Table 6. 2000 data:
"Births: Final Data for 2000," National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol.
50, No. 5, (February 12, 2002), Table 46.
Percent of Children Affected by Foreclosure Since 2007 is an estimate
of the share of children under age 18 who were living in a household that entered
foreclosure in 2007, 2008 or 2009. Estimates were obtained as follows: First, estimates
of the number of households entering foreclosure were acquired from the Mortgage
Bankers Association's National Delinquency Survey (NDS) database. Because the NDS
data covers about 85 percent of the real estate market, we adjusted the estimate
of the total number of households entering foreclosure between 2007 and 2009 to
account for the data's under-coverage. We then multiplied that estimate by the percentage
of mortgaged households that had children, which yielded an estimate of the total
households with children entering foreclosure. Finally, we multiplied that result
by the average number of children per mortgaged household to get an estimate of
the total number of children affected by foreclosure. When foreclosure information
was not available by location, the aggregate total for all states was still reported.
Therefore, the U.S. total does not equal the sum of the states' totals. Children
living in either rental units or owner-occupied homes without a mortgage are not
included in this analysis.
SOURCES:
- Mortgage Bankers Association, National Delinquency Survey, 2007 to 2009
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 to 2009.
Percent of Children in Poverty is the share of children under age
18 who live in families with incomes below the U.S. poverty threshold, as defined
by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. The Federal poverty definition consists
of a series of income thresholds based on family size and composition and is updated
every year to account for inflation. In 2009, the poverty threshold for a family
of two adults and two children was $21,756. Poverty status is not determined for
people in group quarters such as military barracks, prisons and other institutional
quarters, or for unrelated individuals under age 15 (such as foster children). The
data are based on income received in the 12 months prior to the survey.
SOURCES:
- Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2009 data: 2009 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B17001.
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table
P114.
Percent of Children in Single–Parent Families is the percentage
of children under age 18 who live with their own single parent either in a family
or subfamily. In this definition, single-parent families may include cohabiting
couples and do not include children living with stepparents. Children who live in
group quarters (for example, institutions, dormitories, or group homes) are not
included in this calculation.
SOURCES:
- Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2009 data: 2009 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B23008.
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table
P063.
Percent of Children Living in Families Where No Parent Has Full–Time, Year–Round
Employment is the share of all children under age 18 living in families
where no parent has regular, full-time employment. This measure is very similar
to the measure called “Secure Parental Employment,” used by the Federal Interagency
Forum on Child and Family Statistics in its publication, America’s Children: Key
National Indicators of Well-Being. For children living in single-parent
families, this means the resident parent did not work at least 35 hours per week,
at least 50 weeks in the 12 months prior to the survey. For children living in married-couple
families, this means neither parent worked at least 35 hours per week, at least
50 weeks in the 12 months prior to the survey. Children living with neither parent
also were listed as not having secure parental employment because those children
are likely to be economically vulnerable. The 2009 estimate for this measure should
not be compared to estimates prior to 2008 because of substantial changes made to
the 2008 American Community Survey questions on labor force participation and number
of weeks worked.
SOURCES:
- Population Reference Bureau, special tabulations of data from the U.S. Census Bureau,
Census 2000 Supplementary Survey, and 2009 American Community Survey.
Percent of Children with at Least One Unemployed Parent is the
percentage of children under age 18 living in families where at least one parent
does not have a job, has been actively looking for work in the past 4 weeks, and
is currently available for work. For children living in single-parent families,
this means that the resident parent is unemployed. For children living in married-couple
families, this means that either or both parents are unemployed.
SOURCES:
- U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS) Basic Monthly Data Files, 2010.
Percent of Teens Not Attending School and Not Working (ages 16–19)
is the percentage of teenagers between ages 16 and 19 who are not enrolled in school
(full- or part-time) and not employed (full- or part-time). This measure is sometimes
referred to as “Idle Teens” or “Disconnected Youth.” The 2009 estimate for this
measure should not be compared to estimates prior to 2008 because of substantial
changes made to the 2008 American Community Survey questions on labor force participation
and number of weeks worked.
SOURCES:
- Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2009 data: 2009 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B14005.
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table
PCT36.
Percent of Teens Not in School and Not High School Graduates (ages 16–19)
is the percentage of teenagers between ages 16 and 19 who are not enrolled in school
and are not high school graduates. Consistent with Census Bureau policy, persons
who have a General Equivalency Diploma or equivalent are included as high school
graduates in this measure. The measure used here is defined as a “status dropout”
rate by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as shown in their publication,
Dropout Rates in the United States: 2001 (p. 4). We use the status dropout
measure in the KIDS COUNT Data Book because it is available and comparable
for all states. NCES collects data on event dropouts, but only 45 states currently
submit event dropout data that meets quality and comparability levels needed to
justify publishing estimates (see NCES, Public High School Dropouts and Completers
From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2000-02, p. 2). For the measure
presented here, we focus on teens ages 16 to 19 rather than young adults ages 18
to 24 (which is the focus of Dropout Rates in the United States: 2001),
because a large share of 18- to 24-year-olds migrate across state lines each year.
The high interstate migration rates of 18- to 24-year-olds confound the connection
between state policies and programs and state dropout rates. The inclusion of the
group quarters population to the American Community Survey (ACS) in 2006 could have
a noticeable impact on the universe population for this age group. Therefore, the
2009 ACS estimates might not be fully comparable to estimates prior to 2006.
SOURCES:
- Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2009 data: 2009 American Community Survey Summary Tables, Table B14005.
2000 data: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Summary Tables, Table PCT36.
- Population Statistics: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S.
Census Bureau. 2007 data: State Characteristics Population Estimates
File, accessed online at
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2007-alldata6.csv.
2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data,
Table P14.
Teen Birth Rate (births per 1,000 females ages 15–19) is the number
of births to teenagers between ages 15 and 19 per 1,000 females in this age group.
Data reflect the mother’s place of residence, rather than place of birth. This measure
of teenage childbearing focuses on the fertility of all females ages 15 to 19, regardless
of marital status. We focus on births to 15- to 19-year-olds rather than the narrower
age range of 15- to 17-year-olds used in earlier KIDS COUNT Data Books because
recent research strongly suggest that births to young women ages 18 and 19 are as
problematic as are births to girls ages 15 to 17. For example, the poverty rate
for children born to 18- and 19-year-olds is virtually the same as the poverty rate
for children born to females under age 18. We omitted births to girls under age
15, since less than 5 percent of teen births occurred to girls in that age group.
The inclusion of girls under age 15 in the denominator would dramatically lower
the rate, providing an unrealistic assessment of the true risk being faced by 15-
to 19-year-old females.
SOURCES:
- Birth Statistics: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). 2008 data:
CDC, NCHS, VitalStats, accessed at www.cdc.gov/nchs/vitalstats.htm, (February 2011). 2000 data:
Child Trends, Inc., "Facts at a Glance" (Washington, DC: 2002): Table 1.
- Population Statistics: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of
data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 2008 data: State Characteristics
Population Estimates File, accessed online at www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2008-alldata6-ALL.csv
(June 17, 2009). 2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent
Data, Table P14.
Teen Death Rate (deaths per 100,000 teens ages 15–19) is the number
of deaths from all causes to teens between ages 15 and 19, per 100,000 teens in
this age group. The data are reported by place of residence, not the place where
the death occurred.
SOURCES:
- Death Statistics: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). 2007 data: Customized
microdata file provided by CDC, NCHS. 2000 data: CDC, NCHS, Division
of Vital Statistics, Work Table III. "Deaths From 358 Selected Causes, by 5-Year
Age Groups, Race, and Sex: U.S. and Each State, 2000," accessed online at www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/mortfinal2000_workIII_PT1.pdf
(January 6, 2005).
- Population Statistics: Population Reference Bureau, analysis of
data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 2007 data: State Characteristics
Population Estimates File, accessed online at
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/files/SC-EST2007-alldata6.csv.
2000 data: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data,
Table P14.