JACKSON, Miss. – The 2015 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states on the overall well-being of children, reveals the shocking news that despite the economic recovery, more children in Mississippi are living in poverty than during the Great Recession.
Mississippi, which ranks 50th overall in the key indicators of economic well-being, health, and family & community, surpasses national trends, notably in the uneven recovery for low-income families and the growth in child poverty.
More than one third of children, 34 percent, in Mississippi (246,000 children) are stranded in poverty. That’s up from 30 percent in 2008.
More than one third of Mississippi’s children, 39 percent, are living with parents who lack secure employment (286,000 children), up from 35 percent in 2008.
However, there are bright spots:
The percentage of Mississippi’s children lacking health insurance has fallen to 8 percent in 2013, down from 13 percent in 2008.
The percentage of high school kids who are not graduating on time has fallen to 32 percent (2011-2012) from 36 percent (2007-2008).