Nevada in bottom four for children’s well-being, report says
Nevada ranks among the bottom four states in the country when it comes to children’s well-being, according to a new report.
The 2025 Kids Count Data Book is developed from data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a philanthropic group that works to advance education and health outcomes for children. The report, released Monday, analyzes how kids are faring in the United States since COVID-19.
It ranks Nevada as 47th out of the 50 states included.
“It’s important that we continue to collect this data and other related data because it helps us know where to target our interventions,” said Tara C. Raines, the deputy director at children’s advocacy alliance. “We only have limited resources as a community.”
The children’s advocacy alliance is a nonprofit organization that aims to advance systemic change in early childhood education, children’s health and child welfare. Raines hopes the data can help identify exactly what areas to target when working toward change. The group plans to present the data book at a breakfast in Reno on Aug. 14.
Nevada was also ranked 47th in both 2024 and 2023, but Raines noted several subcategories in 2025 in which the state was doing worse than in prior years. The report uses 16 indicators of health and well-being, and Raines pointed to economic well-being, education and health indicators that showed Nevada was not doing well.
Economic well-being declining
Nevada ranked 48th in economic well-being in 2025, compared with its previous ranking of 45th.
More parents are without secure employment, according to the 2025 report, which means that there are more children whose parents are working short-term or contract jobs, which might not come with benefits and do not have the same paycheck every month.
In addition, a higher number of kids are living in households with a high cost of living burden, Raines said. That means that more kids are living in unstable housing or housing that’s so expensive that parents are missing rent or mortgage payments.
Education remains low
Nevada consistently ranks low when it comes to education, state data shows.
Raines said that economic uncertainty is contributing to poor education outcomes, particularly given that fewer children ages 3 and 4 are in school.
She also pointed to a lack of pre-K programs in the state. The Legislature’s 2025 education bill increases funding for pre-K programs, although it falls short of making them universal.
“We’re excited the education bill that passed out of session is going to include funds to support pre K programs for 4-year-olds, and we know that that’ll help down the line, across the board, for all of our education indicators,” Raines said.
More fourth graders and eighth graders are not at their respective reading grade levels, Raines said, and fewer students are graduating on time from high school.
Troubling health data
When it came to health, Raines said that more babies were born at a low birth weight, which can indicate later developmental complications.
Child and teen deaths also increased, Raines said.
She also said that more children and teens are overweight, which often occurs for kids in poverty who do not have access to nutritious food.
Family life improving
Raines highlighted a positive note, saying there has been some improvement in family and community life.
Fewer children are living in high poverty areas and there are fewer teen births.
The data also shows that there are fewer children and families where the head of the household does not have a high school diploma.
“That’s a bright spot in the report,” Raines said.
Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ktfutts on X and @katiefutterman.bsky.social.