Since 1990, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has ranked states annually on overall child well-being using an index of key indicators. The KIDS COUNT index captures what children need most to thrive, using four domains:
(1) Economic Well-Being
(2) Education
(3) Health
(4) Family and Community.
Each domain includes four indicators, for a total of 16. These indicators represent the best available data to measure the status of child well-being at the state and national levels. The 31st edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks Hawaiʻi 17th among all states for child well-being.
- All 4 indicators under Economic Wellbeing improved in Hawaiʻi, including children in poverty, children whose parents lack secure employment, children living in households with a high housing cost burden, teens not in school and not working.
- All but 1 indicator under Education improved in Hawaiʻi. The percentage of young children (ages 3 and 4) not in school increased from 44% in 2009-2011 to 53% in 2016-2018, which is higher than the overall nation percentage.
- All but 1 indicator under Health improved in Hawaiʻi. The percentage of low birth-weight babies remained at 8.3% between 2010 and 2018.
- All but 1 indicator under Family and Community improved in Hawaiʻi. The percentage of children in single-parent families remained at 30% between 2010 and 2018.
Updated: 10/30/2020