For the second consecutive year, Georgia ranks 42nd in child well-being according to the 2017 Kids Count Data Book, released Tuesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The book uses 16 indicators to rank each state across four areas: health, education, economic well being, and family and community. While Georgia did see some improvement in economic well-being and family and community, the state still suffers from gaps in education.
However, Clarke County’s graduation rate was just over 80% in 2016, up substantially from just over 70% in 2012. The county’s number of teen pregnancies has dramatically declined from 34 per 1,000 in 2011 to 17 per 1,000. While the state’s child poverty level has declined, Clarke County’s level has risen from 37.7% in 2011 to 41.6% in 2015. Mississippi ranks fiftieth in the data book, and New Hampshire ranks first.
For Clarke or any other Georgia county, visit Georgia Kids Count at gafcp.org/kids-count.