Child and Family Policy Center

Michael Crawford, Senior Associate

Featured Data

Preschool

Preschool for children age three and four has risen seven percent since 2000, increasing in 70 percent of Iowa counties.  Unfortunately, it has leveled the past few years at around 48 percent.

Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility

Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunches has increased 56 percent since 2000.  Increases have been noted in every Iowa county with some doubling their rate during this time.

Food assistance

The percentage of individuals receiving financial assistance through the Food Assistance program has increased 174 percent since 2000, with increases in every county.  However, the rate has decreased 15 percent since 2013.

Child poverty

While child poverty has been rising steadily since 2000 and has increased 16 percent since that time, it has started to drop and has decreased 26 percent since 2011.

Uninsured Children

Iowa has one of the lowest percentages of uninsured children in the country.  For age 0-17 through 2012-2016, the rate had fallen 22 percent in the previous four years.