ATLANTA — An annual report on child well-being shows Georgia ranks in the bottom half of the country, with children faring worse overall than in many other states.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Report ranked Georgia 39th nationally and found the state was one of 29 states to show overall declines in child well-being.
The report evaluates family finances, education, health, and home and community conditions.
Georgia showed improvement in several areas, including children living in poverty, children whose parents lack secure employment, high school students graduating on time, teen births, and children living in high-poverty neighborhoods.
However, the report found declines in young children not enrolled in school, fourth graders not proficient in reading, eighth graders not proficient in math, and the number of children living in families burdened by high housing costs.
The report found most states are worse off than they were five years ago, with education showing the largest declines nationwide.
One positive trend nationally was a slight improvement in the number of children and teens who are overweight or obese. Areas of concern included high rates of child and teen deaths and low birth weights among babies.
The report also found regional trends continue, with many of the lowest-ranked states located in the South, while many of the highest-ranked states are in the Northeast.
New Hampshire ranked first overall in the report, while Mississippi ranked 50th.
WSB Radio’s Bill Caiaccio contributed to this story.