Percent of children who are low-income by parental education
| Less Than High School | High School | Some College or More | ||||
| Low-Income | Above Low-Income | Low-Income | Above Low-Income | Low-Income | Above Low-Income | |
| National | 85% | 15% | 60% | 40% | 25% | 75% |
| Alabama | 92% | 8%* | 58% | 42% | 25% | 75% |
| Alaska | 80% | 20%* | 39% | 61% | 21% | 79% |
| Arizona | 88% | 12% | 64% | 36% | 28% | 72% |
| Arkansas | 88% | 12%* | 67% | 33% | 36% | 64% |
| California | 82% | 18% | 57% | 43% | 23% | 77% |
| Colorado | 80% | 20% | 55% | 45% | 20% | 80% |
| Connecticut | 86% | 14%* | 49% | 51% | 15% | 85% |
| Delaware | 86% | 14%* | 48% | 52% | 19% | 81% |
| District of Columbia | 86% | 14%* | 72% | 28% | 27% | 73% |
| Florida | 81% | 19% | 62% | 38% | 25% | 75% |
| Georgia | 88% | 12% | 63% | 37% | 26% | 74% |
| Hawaii | 83% | 17%* | 43% | 57% | 22% | 78% |
| Idaho | 82% | 18%* | 57% | 43% | 35% | 65% |
| Illinois | 79% | 21% | 58% | 42% | 23% | 77% |
| Indiana | 85% | 15%* | 53% | 47% | 23% | 77% |
| Iowa | 75% | 25% | 58% | 42% | 22% | 78% |
| Kansas | 88% | 12%* | 65% | 35% | 25% | 75% |
| Kentucky | 84% | 16%* | 62% | 38% | 31% | 69% |
| Louisiana | 84% | 16%* | 63% | 37% | 26% | 74% |
| Maine | 82% | 18%* | 60% | 40% | 22% | 78% |
| Maryland | 68% | 32% | 46% | 54% | 14% | 86% |
| Massachusetts | 82% | 18%* | 58% | 42% | 19% | 81% |
| Michigan | 86% | 14%* | 65% | 35% | 24% | 76% |
| Minnesota | 88% | 12%* | 57% | 43% | 20% | 80% |
| Mississippi | 83% | 17%* | 76% | 24% | 36% | 64% |
| Missouri | 87% | 13%* | 57% | 43% | 28% | 72% |
| Montana | 85% | 15%* | 60% | 40% | 33% | 67% |
| Nebraska | 84% | 16%* | 55% | 45% | 22% | 78% |
| Nevada | 77% | 23% | 46% | 54% | 23% | 77% |
| New Hampshire | 75% | 25%* | 40% | 60% | 13% | 87% |
| New Jersey | 78% | 22% | 54% | 46% | 17% | 83% |
| New Mexico | 76% | 24%* | 61% | 39% | 32% | 68% |
| New York | 85% | 15% | 59% | 41% | 24% | 76% |
| North Carolina | 90% | 10%* | 66% | 34% | 25% | 75% |
| North Dakota | 87% | 13%* | 60% | 40% | 29% | 71% |
| Ohio | 88% | 12%* | 54% | 46% | 26% | 74% |
| Oklahoma | 85% | 15%* | 66% | 34% | 34% | 66% |
| Oregon | 81% | 19%* | 53% | 47% | 28% | 72% |
| Pennsylvania | 80% | 20% | 53% | 47% | 22% | 78% |
| Rhode Island | 83% | 17% | 53% | 47% | 22% | 78% |
| South Carolina | 79% | 21%* | 60% | 40% | 31% | 69% |
| South Dakota | 82% | 18%* | 58% | 42% | 27% | 73% |
| Tennessee | 86% | 14%* | 68% | 32% | 26% | 74% |
| Texas | 86% | 14% | 63% | 37% | 29% | 71% |
| Utah | 77% | 23%* | 48% | 52% | 27% | 73% |
| Vermont | 83% | 17%* | 46% | 54% | 23% | 77% |
| Virginia | 72% | 28% | 51% | 49% | 22% | 78% |
| Washington | 89% | 11%* | 54% | 46% | 20% | 80% |
| West Virginia | 84% | 16%* | 59% | 41% | 31% | 69% |
| Wisconsin | 88% | 12%* | 48% | 52% | 21% | 79% |
| Wyoming | 71% | 29%* | 38% | 62% | 26% | 74% |
Data Notes & Sources
* This estimate should be used with caution. It may be unreliable due to a small sample size.
State data were calculated from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (the March supplement) of the Current Population Survey from 2007, 2008, and 2009, representing information from calendar years 2006, 2007, and 2008. NCCP averaged three years of data because of small sample sizes in less populated states. The national data were calculated from the 2009 data, representing information from the previous calendar year.
Definitions
- Low Income
- Families and children are defined as low-income if the family income is less than twice the federal poverty threshold (see Poor).
- Parental Education
- Parental education is the education level of the most highly educated parent living in the household. Parents can either have no high school degree; a high school degree, but no college; or some college or more.
- Poor
- Families and children are defined as poor if family income is below the federal poverty threshold. The federal poverty level for a family of four with two children was $22,050 in 2009, $21,200 in 2008, and $20,650 in 2007.