Some states are doing better than others at providing economically secure homes. This Market Watch article explains that in 2012 about 31 percent of children had parents without secure employment, compared with 27 percent in 2008. Our economy is still being impacted by long-term unemployment.
“When parents are unemployed or earn low wages, they may struggle to meet their children’s most basic needs,” according to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Baltimore-based philanthropy. “Economic uncertainty also increases parental stress, which, in turn, can compromise parenting.”
The report details indicate that certain states are doing substantially better than others regarding children’s overall economic well-being. North Dakota ranked No. 1 for kids’ economic well-being.
According to the report, here are the best fives states when it comes to kids’ economic well-being:
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
And here are the five worst:
50. Mississippi
49. New Mexico
48. California
47. Nevada
46. Arizona
While this report might show some unfavorable data for some states, every family can learn the skills and build better money management habits! Don’t let this map or data scare you, but take advantage of the fact that there are many resources out there that help train people in every stage of life to take a hold of their finances! We’ve written a simple article about “The 12 Steps to Better Money Management” to help get you started!