Study: Alabama Ranks High in Disadvantaged Children

Probably to the surprise of few, Alabama, as one of the poorest states, is home to large numbers of disadvantaged children. Our state ranks 11th worst overall in child welfare according to a study released by the personal-finance website WalletHub.

While Alabama has improved in recent years, the state still ranks high in poverty rates and low-income levels compared to other states. In Alabama, approximately 1 in 5 children lives in poverty. Those factors contribute to putting so many children at risk.

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“The latest data on child well-being in Alabama is a compelling call to action – a clear reminder that we must continue to invest in the policies and programs that uplift all our families and build a stronger future for every child,” said April Hartsfield, Alabama Kids Count director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, a nonprofit child advocacy organization, in a press release.

Even though Alabama is experiencing near record low unemployment rates, each county in the state has pockets of poverty, with several of them in the Black Belt of West Alabama.

A study by the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research reveals that Perry, Wilcox, and Macon counties have the highest percentage of children living in poverty. Each with around 40%. Besides Perry, there are two other West Alabama counties that rank in the top 10 for children in poverty they are Sumter at 36.3% and Hale with 33% living below the poverty line.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key measures of neediness. The data set ranges from the share of children in households with below-poverty income to the child food-insecurity rate to the share of maltreated children.

Below is the WalletHub breakdown on the welfare of children in Alabama, the factors that contribute greatly to the plight of so many underprivileged youths in the state. (1=Most, 25=Average):

• 4th - The % of children in households with below-poverty incomes,
• 19th - The % of maltreated children,
• 5th - Child food insecurity rate,
• 3rd - Infant mortality rate,
• 7th - Percentage of children in single-parent families.

The plight of child welfare in Alabama is also reflected in other Wallet Hub studies.

• Best states for families = Alabama 45th (the same figure as the Kids Count Data Book for Alabama in 2024)
• Health and Safety = Alabama 43rd
• Education & Child Care = Alabama 43rd
• Affordability = Alabama 29th
• Socioeconomics = Alabama 30th
• The most idle youth = Alabama 11th
• Nutrition = Alabama 47th

Child welfare experts like Dr. Cristina Mogro-Wilson of the University of Connecticut point out, "Children do not vote and their voices are often excluded from public discourse. Underprivileged children are disproportionately impacted by policies that fail to address housing instability, education gaps, and structural racism." 

Read More: 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book