Good and Bad News for Well-Being of Missouri Kids
Missouri ranks 28th in overall child well-being, according to the 2026 Kids Count Data Book, a 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how kids are faring nationwide. More than 70 percent of Missouri’s 4th and 8th graders are scoring below the proficiency category on standardized tests.
“Sustaining progress and ensuring we can provide consistently and reliably for all of our families and children is the mission and the work we collaborate on with our state and community partners every day,” said Tracy Greever-Rice, Missouri Kids Count program director.
States receive a comprehensive score (from 0 to 1,000), not just a ranking. The scores track 16 indicators in four domains — economic well-being, education, health and family, and community factors — over a five-year period from 2019 to 2024. Missouri received a score of 567, slightly above the national score of 547, with the highest score in the economic well-being domain.
The state also continues to deal with a teacher shortage and funding issues. For the latest years available, it ranks 38th in funding per student–$14,005 per student. The national average is $17,840.
The good news is Missouri ranked 15th overall on the economic well-being indicators that consider children living in poverty, stable parental employment, housing costs, and adolescents engaged in school or work. Fifteen percent of kids, just over 200,000, live in families with incomes below the federal poverty line; 23 percent live in families where no parent has year-round, full-time employment; and 22 percent live in households that spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs.
The well-being figure is being driven not by government funding or programs but by private job creation according to the organization MERC. Poverty is driven down by more parents working, lower housing costs and a lower cost of living–things the State shines for in other national rankings. In 2026, the state tied for seventh-lowest cost of living with all Missouri cities below the national average.
READ: Majority of Missouri parents rank their schools as poor or fair
Healthcare, however, seems to be a stubborn issue to address. Missouri children have experienced an uptick in lack of health insurance coverage, increasing from 5 percent in 2023 to 7 percent in 2024, equaling approximately 95,000 children without coverage.
While poverty rates in urban areas are high, rural Missouri should not be ignored. The 2025 Missouri Poverty Report says “children and rural residents are disproportionately affected by poverty” and that poverty rates “tend to be higher in rural counties compared to urban areas.” A Missouri rural health report also said children under 5 had a higher poverty rate in rural counties, 20.3 percent, than in urban counties, 16.3 percent. Rural poverty continues to be driven by lack of employment opportunities and reliable childcare.
“We know what our children need to grow up healthy and connected so they can thrive as adults: stable homes, strong schools, nutritious food, meaningful relationships and opportunities to learn, play and grow,” said William Dent, executive director of the Family and Community Trust. “Investment in initiatives that meet these needs are smart investments, fostering long-term gains like employment and economic growth.”
–Dwight Widaman
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