New Hampshire is the best state in the U.S. for overall child well-being, and Mississippi is the worst, according to a report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The 2026 Kids Count Data Book assigned all U.S. states both a ranking and a score. The nonprofit used 16 indicators across four domains: economic well-being, education, health and family, and community, with each indicator weighted equally. States were scored on a 0-to-1,000 scale anchored to a 2019 baseline. The national score was 547.
The report found child well-being worsened in 29 states between 2019 and 2024, improved in 15 states and remained stable in six. Education indicators accounted for many of the declines, while family and community measures showed the most improvement.
Here are the 2026 rankings and scores of all 50 states:
1. New Hampshire (838)
2. Massachusetts (775)
3. Utah (759)
4. Vermont (756)
5. Minnesota (743)
6. New Jersey (715)
7. Connecticut (708)
8. Wisconsin (692)
9. Nebraska (669)
10. Iowa (667)
11. Virginia (661)
12. Wyoming (654)
13. Idaho (638)
14. Colorado (636)
14. Kansas (636)
14. North Dakota (636)
17. Washington (634)
18. Pennsylvania (626)
19. Maryland (616)
20. Illinois (615)
21. Maine (613)
22. South Dakota (602)
23. Oregon (592)
24. Montana (590)
25. Hawaii (584)
26. Rhode Island (583)
27. Ohio (569)
28. Missouri (567)
29. Indiana (566)
30. New York (558)
31. Delaware (554)
32. North Carolina (537)
33. California (532)
34. Michigan (527)
35. Florida (519)
36. Kentucky (498)
37. Tennessee (475)
38. South Carolina (468)
39. Georgia (466)
40. Arizona (446)
41. West Virginia (443)
42. Alabama (435)
43. Arkansas (427)
44. Oklahoma (425)
44. Texas (425)
46. Nevada (398)
47. Alaska (385)
48. Louisiana (313)
49. New Mexico (281)
50. Mississippi (271)
At the Becker's Fall Behavioral Health Summit, taking place November 4–5 in Chicago, behavioral health leaders and executives will explore strategies for expanding access to care, integrating services, addressing workforce challenges and leveraging innovation to improve outcomes across the behavioral health continuum. Apply for complimentary registration now.