Report: One in 7 children in state live in poverty

Jun. 18--One in seven of the state's children live in poverty and almost a third come from families that struggle to afford housing, according to an annual report on children's well-being.

Massachusetts ranks first in ensuring children have health insurance, although the number of children without insurance rose slightly from 2016 and 2017, according to the 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The state's children also rank first in the nation in mathematics and reading achievement, with half of eighth-graders scoring at or above proficient level in the former and 51 percent of fourth-graders scoring at the same level in the latter, according to the Data Book.

But that means the other half of Massachusetts children still lag behind in math and reading proficiency.

"No single program or service can ensure that our kids do well," said Nancy Wagman, director of KIDS COUNT in Massachusetts. "...(But) a wealthy state like ours can do more to invest in equitable public education for our children."

The Data Book uses 16 indicators to rank each state across four domains -- health, education, economic well-being, and family and community -- as an assessment of child well-being. For 2019, Massachusetts ranks second overall.

But the share of Massachusetts children living in poverty is the same as it was in 2010: 14 percent.

"We know what happens when kids grow up in poverty," said Mary A. McGeown, executive director of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. "They're more likely to be a teen parent, to not finish school and not be able to hold down a full-time job as adults. They're also 22 times more likely to be neglected or abused because the strains associated with poverty can elevate stress on parents and risk to children."

The state also slipped to 39th place in ensuring children live in households that aren't burdened by housing costs. Almost a third of Massachusetts children come from a family struggling to afford housing. And more than a quarter of children are in families where no parent is able to get full-time work year round.

About one in four households in Massachusetts pay as much as one-half of their total income on housing, Wagman said. And the national poverty threshold doesn't take into account the fact that different parts of the country have different costs of living.

"The best way to keep kids safe, healthy and thriving is to make sure they live with parents who are employed and compensated with a living wage, who can afford safe housing and have the resources to invest in and support their children's long-term goals," McGeown said.

In an email yesterday, Brendan Moss, a spokesman for Gov. Charlie Baker, said: "The Baker-Polito Administration is proud Massachusetts continues to lead the country in children's healthcare and education, and Governor Baker urges the Legislature to take up his Housing Choice legislation to produce 135,000 new units by 2025 and modernize the Commonwealth's zoning laws to deliver the housing options Massachusetts families, workers and businesses need."

Massachusetts' rankings on economic well-being and the family and community domain indicate that raising the incomes of low-to middle-income families and improving employment opportunities remain important challenges for the state. To get a better scope of the challenges, however, requires a complete and robust census count, said Marie-Frances Rivera, president of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.

"Without accurate data, we can't get an accurate picture of what our community needs," Rivera said. "It is particularly important that we make sure the upcoming census counts every person in Massachusetts."

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