KidsCount data released: State has mixed results
Published 7:32 am Tuesday, June 10, 2025
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Research by VOICES for Alabama’s Children shows improvement in some areas while others didn’t score as well.
Alabama ranks 43rd in 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book, showing persistent gaps in child well-being, as released this week from the
The Annie E. Casey Foundation reports a mix of outcomes for Alabama’s children in 2023 compared to 2019, with fewer Alabama children living in families without full-time employment, yet an increase in uninsured children and a stagnant child poverty rate.
Alabama’s overall child well-being ranking dropped to 43rd from 39th compared to last year, according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, an annual 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, analyzing how children are faring in post-pandemic America. Key findings for Alabama showed that while the number of children living in families where no parent had full-time, year-round employment dropped, child poverty remained stagnant, more children lived in households that spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing, and the number of uninsured children increased.
“The latest data on child well-being in Alabama is a compelling call to action — a clear reminder that we must continue to invest in the policies and programs that uplift all our families and build a stronger future for every child,” said Apreill Hartsfield, Alabama Kids Count director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, the state’s member of the Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT network.
In 2023, 29 percent of children in Alabama lived in families where no parent was employed full-time year-round.
This represented a 6 percent decrease from the 31 percent recorded in 2019. However, during the same period, the percent of children in families facing high housing costs— those spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing—rose by 4 percent compared to 2019. Policies that promote adequate housing, encompassing affordability, safety, comfort, accessibility, and cultural suitability, are essential for meeting basic needs and supporting families in achieving economic stability. For children, this results in improved health outcomes, enhanced academic performance, and increased access to community resources.
The percent of uninsured children in Alabama increased by 33 percent in 2023 compared to 2019. This spike came after pandemic-related coverage ended. The state’s refusal to expand Medicaid also likely contributed to the increase. Access to healthcare coverage improves outcomes by facilitating early detection of issues, ensuring timely treatment, and increasing the likelihood that children are covered when adults in the household have insurance, supporting long-term family health and well-being.
There was a slight improvement in the percent of low birth-weight babies in 2023, with a 1 percent decrease compared to 2019. However, Alabama ranks 48th in the nation for this measure, indicating poor maternal and infant health. This status highlights the need for ongoing investment in the health of women and their babies throughout the state.
Additional key findings for Alabama from the KIDS COUNT® Data Book include:
• During the 2021/22 school year, the share of high schoolers not graduating on time increased, causing Alabama’s rank to drop from first in the nation the previous school year to 13th.
• Only 18 percent of Alabama eighth graders scored at or above proficient in math in 2024, a drop compared with 21 percent in 2019.
• Child poverty remained stagnant at 21 percent, or more than 1 in 5 children, for both 2019 and 2023.
• There was a 27 percent decrease in the share of children living in high-poverty areas between
2019–2023 (11 percent), compared to the period 2014–2018 (15 percent). High-poverty areas are defined as census tracts where the poverty rate of the total population is 30 percent or higher.
• Children in families where the household head lacks a high school diploma also improved in 2023, with a rate of 9 percent compared to 11 percent in 2019.
• Fewer children lived in single-parent families in 2023 (39 percent) compared to 2019 (40 percent) – a 3 percent decrease.
We know what kids need to grow up healthy and connected so they can thrive as adults: Stable homes, strong schools, nutritious food, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to learn, play and grow.
Programs that meet these needs are smart investments, fostering long-term gains like employment and economic growth.
Each year, the Data Book presents national and state data from 16 indicators in four domains —economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors — and ranks the states according to how children are faring overall. In this year’s Data Book, Alabama’s rankings declined in three domains – Economic Well-being, Education, and Health – and remained unchanged in the Family and Community domain, where the state saw the most improvement. It improved in six indicators, declined in five and remained the same in five.
In its 36th year of publication, the KIDS COUNT® Data Book provides reliable statewide numbers to help leaders see where progress is being made, where greater support is needed and which strategies are making a difference. VOICES encourages lawmakers and officials in Alabama to utilize this detailed information to unite across party lines and develop initiatives that invest in young people. The Data Book equips policymakers, advocates, and communities with the information they need to make decisions that help children, young people and families thrive.
ABOUT THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION
The Annie E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for the nation’s young people by developing solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic opportunity and transform struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow. For more information, visit www.aecf.org. KIDS COUNT is a registered trademark of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.