Improvement of Child Welfare in Four Red States Post-Pandemic
A recent report highlights four red states making strides in child welfare since the pandemic hit. So, it seems there’s been some positive change, at least in these areas.
In terms of overall child well-being, South Carolina has particularly excelled, registering the most significant improvements between 2019 and 2024. This information comes from the “Kids Count” Survey by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Other states showing major gains include Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and New Mexico.
South Carolina, for instance, witnessed a notable rise in childhood happiness scores—38 points—covering various factors like educational success, low birth weight, and poverty levels. It’s interesting to see how different metrics intertwine. Despite its political leanings, a 58% to 40% vote for Trump in 2024, South Carolina’s education rankings have held steady since 2019, which is kind of unexpected.
On the other hand, while educational achievement did not decline in South Carolina, only Louisiana and Mississippi showed improvements. These states, often overshadowed by their wealthier counterparts in the Northeast, are gaining recognition for enhancing their reading and math scores.
Nevertheless, despite these positive trends, overall child welfare outcomes remain highest in affluent states, while the Deep South still struggles with lower scores.
New York tops the list for child well-being, whereas California ranks 33rd out of 50 states, as noted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Interestingly, in New York, child well-being reportedly declined, and California’s scores remained unchanged from 2019 to 2024. The report indicates that many of the most improved states are in the Deep South, where recovery seems to be outpacing that of northern states.
The report suggests, “Even though many of the states with the lowest overall scores are located in the South, they achieved the greatest gains from 2019 to 2024 when compared to other regions.”
Best Overall Childhood Happiness Score, 2024
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Utah
- Vermont
- Minnesota
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation Child Population Data Book
Lowest Childhood Happiness Scores, 2025
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
- Louisiana
- Alaska
- Nevada
- Texas
Overall, among the 15 states that made strides in child welfare between 2019 and 2024, eight were from the South, led by South Carolina, Louisiana, and Kentucky. It’s sort of a surprise, right?
Kentucky, a notably red state, also made substantial gains in both economic conditions and education, solidifying its status as one of the more improved states.
Mississippi, too, experienced positive changes in family dynamics and community support, along with economic growth. The report signifies this state’s noteworthy advancements, attributing them to legislative changes like the Literacy Act, which emphasizes reading from elementary levels, and ongoing investments in public education.
Largest Improvement in Child Well-Being from 2019 to 2024
- South Carolina
- Louisiana
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
Children’s Happiness Decline from 2019 to 2024
- Maine
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Iowa
- Minnesota
Among the highlighted states, only New Mexico voted for Kamala Harris in the last election, yet it saw significant improvement in economic conditions, especially with its child tax credit expansion in 2023.
Interestingly, the Northeast and Midwest reported the most substantial declines overall during these five years. Maine faced the steepest drop in child well-being, closely followed by a few Midwestern states.
It’s also important to point out that there were notable declines in educational attainment in states like North Dakota, Maine, Delaware, Iowa, and Oklahoma.
The report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ultimately portrays a mixed and uneven landscape of child well-being across the country. While there have been decreases in teen births and child poverty under the Biden administration, reading and math skills appear to have slipped.
Overall, it’s a complicated picture, with data revealing that 29 states have experienced declines in happiness since 2019.
