Study: New Mexico has high numbers of underprivileged children

A new study finds that the Land of Enchantment is one of the states with the most underprivileged children in the nation.

WalletHub, a financial website, released its findings this week.

Researchers with the site compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key measures of neediness in a way to bring awareness to the condition of America’s underprivileged kids. The U.S. has the seventh highest child poverty rate among economically developed countries, according to WalletHub.

The data set ranges from share of children in households with below-poverty income to child food-insecurity rate to share of maltreated children.

Using the data set, New Mexico came in at number 2. Mississippi topped the list. Nevada, Alaska and Washington, D.C. rounded out the top five. Texas came in at number 29.

WalletHub researchers also found that New Mexico has the highest child food-insecurity rate at 25.6 percent. The state also ranked in the top five for the most children living in single-parent households (#4) and highest number of children in households with below-poverty income (#2).

To view the full report here.