Since you are looking at this site with an older browser, you will not be able to see any graphics or formatting. For better results, please upgrade your browser.

Home > State Profiles > United States >

Also of Interest

United States

Early Childhood Profile

Download PDF|Print|
Early Care and EducationParenting and Economic Supports 

State Choices to Promote Effective Parenting

Low-income young children with a parent employed full-time, 2009
Low-income young children with a parent employed full-time, 2009

Enlarge

Low-income young children with a parent employed full-time, 20091

  • 28 states provide option to extend Medicaid coverage for family planning to otherwise ineligible low-income women [2011]2
  • 25 states exempt single parents on TANF from work requirements until the youngest child reaches age 1. [2009]3
  • 29 states reduce the TANF work requirement to 20 hours or less for single parents with children under age 6 [2009]4
  • 32 states operate a statewide home visiting program. [2007]5
50-State Data   Policy Definitions

State Choices to Promote Family Economic Security

Young children with mothers who have a high school eduction or less, 2009
Young children with mothers who have a high school eduction or less, 2009

Enlarge

Young children with mothers who have a high school eduction or less, 20091

Maximum annual TANF benefit for a family of 3, 2009
Maximum annual TANF benefit for a family of 3, 2009

Enlarge

Maximum annual TANF benefit for a family of 3, 20094

  • 18 states establish a state minimum wage that exceeds the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr). [2011]6
  • 40 states exempt single-parent families of three below the poverty level from personal income tax. [2009]7
  • 20 states offer a refundable state Earned Income Tax Credit. [2010]8
  • 13 states offer a refundable state dependent care tax credit. [2011]9
  • 32 states keep copayments for child care subsidies below 10% of family income for families of three at 150% FPL [2010]10
  • 26 states allow families on TANF to receive some or all of their child support payment without reducing TANF cash assistance. [2009]11
  • 10 states offer exemptions and/or extensions of the TANF benefit time limit for women who are pregnant or caring for a child under age 6. [2009]4
50-State Data   Policy Definitions
Early Care and Education 
Download PDF|Print|

Data Notes and Sources

Last Updated: September 26, 2011

Send us recent developments to update your state's profile.

  1. National data were calculated from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (the March supplement) of the Current Population Survey from 2010, representing information from the previous calendar year. State data were calculated from the 2009 American Community Survey, representing information from 2009.
  2. Guttmacher Institute. 2011. State Policies in Brief: State Medicaid Family Planning Eligibility Expansions, as of August 3, 2011. New York, NY: Guttmacher Institute. http://www.guttmacher.org
  3. The federal poverty level for a family of three was $18,310/yr in 2009.
    Rowe, Gretchen; Murphy, Mary. 2010. The Welfare Rules Databook: State Policies as of July 2009. The Urban Institute. http://www.acf.hhs.gov (accessed February 18, 2011).
  4. Rowe, Gretchen; Murphy, Mary. 2010. The Welfare Rules Databook: State Policies as of July 2009. The Urban Institute. http://www.acf.hhs.gov (accessed February 18, 2011).
  5. Johnson, Kay. 2009. State-based Home Visiting: Strengthening Programs through State Leadership. New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
  6. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration. 2011. Minimum Wage Laws in the States, January 2011. http://www.dol.gov (accessed February 22, 2011).
  7. Oliff, Phil; Singham, Ashali. 2010. The Impact of State Income Taxes on Low-Income Families in 2009. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. http://www.cbpp.org (accessed August 13, 2010).
  8. State EITC Programs, TaxCreditResources.org. Community Resources Information, Inc. website. Accessed August 3, 2011 from http://www.taxcreditresources.org
  9. National Women's Law Center. 2011. Making Care Less Taxing, Improving State Child and Dependent Care Tax Provisions. Washington, DC: National Women's Law Center. http://www.nwlc.org (accessed August 3, 2011)
  10. Schulman, Karen; Blank, Helen. 2010. State Child Care Assistance Policies 2010: New Federal Funds Help States Weather the Storm. National Women's Law Center.http://www.nwlc.org (accessed September 14, 2011).
  11. Vinson, Michelle; Turetsky, Vicky. 2009. State Child Support Pass-Through Policies. Center for Law and Social Policy. http://www.clasp.org (accessed November 10, 2009)