A new year means new data. The Virginia KIDS COUNT data center has just updated 16 indicators in the areas of demographics, poverty, and economic well-being. See the full list below. We also have new data including child TANF participation and three new indicators by race including children receiving child care subsidies, child SNAP participation, and child TANF participation. 

• Childhood Poverty below 100% 
• Childhood Poverty below 200%
• Childhood Poverty below 100% (1-year estimates)
• Childhood Poverty below 100% by race
• Children under 6 with parents in labor force
• Median income of families with own children in household
• All Virginia residents in poverty
• Children living in deep poverty
• Children in poverty living in deep poverty
• Child population by race
• Total Child population
• Children living in single parent households
• On-time high school graduation
• On-time high school graduation by subgroup
• Children receiving child care subsidies
• Child SNAP participation

A few highlights to mention from the 2019 data for children:

• There are over 1.8 million children living in the commonwealth
• While the racial demographics of the Commonwealth have become more diverse in the last decade, little change has occurred since 2018. In 2019, the race breakdown of children is:

• • American Indian and Alaskan Native: <0.5%
  • Asian: 6%
  • Black: 20%
  • Hispanic: 14%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: <.5%
  • 2 or more races: 6%
  • White: 53%

• 71% of children have all available parents in the labor force.
• 13% of children live below the poverty line. About 1 in 3 or 31% live below 200% of the federal poverty line.
  • American Indian: 3%
  • Asian & Pacific Islander: 6%
  • Black: 26%
  • Hispanic: 18%
  • 2 or more races: 15%
  • White: 8%

The most recent data highlights minor improvements in economic wellbeing, however, continued worsening inequities among race and ethnic groups. With the demographics of Virginia’s children becoming more diverse, having the most up to date data disaggregated is crucial for policymakers, advocates, and researchers to monitor the progress of health and wellbeing and building a stronger future for all children in the Commonwealth. 

(*State level estimates are evaluated using 1-year ACS data. Locality level estimated are evaluated using 5-year ACS data, most recently the 2015-2019 estimates).

To learn more, check out the Virginia KIDS COUNT data center.

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