PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The 30th annual Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook was released Monday morning.
It breaks down how children in the state are faring when it comes to education, health, safety, and economic well-being.
The nearly 200-page report examines 70 indicators in five areas that are critical to kids’ development.
According to the factbook, census data shows that while Rhode Island’s population grew 4.3% from 2010 to 2020, the child population has been on the decline. There were 223,956 kids under the age of 18 in 2010, compared to 209,785 in 2020, which is about 19% of the total population. The report also says that 27% of Rhode Island households have children under 18.
The number of babies born in the state declined by 18% from 2002 to 2022, the report states.
Under the economic well-being category, the report says that in 2023, the average cost of rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Rhode Island was $2,107 per month, showing that rents have increased 10% from 2019 to 2023.
The report also emphasizes that racial disparities are impacting the well-being of Rhode Island children. The median income for Asian and white families is higher than Black, Hispanic, Native American and Pacific Islander families.
Children in Rhode Island are more likely to be identified as people of color than adults, according to the report. In 2020, 47% of children under the age of 18 were people of color, compared to 28% of adults.
There were 19% more homeless children in the state’s public schools in the 2022 academic year compared to the previous year. The report also notes that the child poverty rate was 14% between 2018 and 2022, with more than 28,000 children living in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold.
The report highlights how almost two-thirds of Rhode Island children living in poverty are located in just four cities: Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and Central Falls.
Under the health indicator, 79% of Rhode Island’s children were fully immunized by 24 months in 2022, which is above the national average of 69%.
Meanwhile, in terms of education, the report says the four-year high school graduation rate for the class of 2023 was up 84% compared to 10 years ago. The class of 2013 had an 80% graduation rate.
Chronic absence rates are high in kindergarten and first grade, then decline before increasing again in middle and high school. Those rates have improved since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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