73,735,562 children live in United States
13,285,569 are poor
 
A child in the United States is abused or neglected every 36 seconds.
A child in the United States is born into poverty every 36 seconds.
A child in the United States dies before his or her first birthday every 19 minutes.
A child or teen in the United States is killed by gunfire every 3 hours.

Child Poverty in the United States
Number of poor children (and percent poor): 13,285,569 (18.3 %)
Number of adults and children receiving cash assistance from TemporaryAssistance for Needy Families (TANF): 4,729,291
 
Child Health in the United States
Number of children without health insurance (and percent uninsured): 9.4 million (12.1%)
Number of children enrolled in the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): 6,114,018
Number of children enrolled in Medicaid: 27,873,481
Children as percent of total Medicaid enrollment: 50.5%
Medicaid expenditures on children as percent of total Medicaid expenditures: 23.0%
Percent of two-year-olds not fully immunized: 23.9%
 
Child Hunger in the United States
Number of children who receive food stamps: 10,688,538
Percent of eligible persons who receive food stamps : 56%
Number of children in School Lunch Program: 29,601,224
Number of women and children receiving WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children): 7,867,943
 
Child Welfare in the United States
Number of children who were victims of abuse and neglect: 883,647
Number of children in foster care: 506,345
Number of children adopted from foster care: 52,468
Number of grandparents raising grandchildren: 2,458,806
 
Early Childhood Development in the United States
Percent of children under age six with all parents in the labor force: 60.0%
Number of children served by Head Start: 909,201
Number of children served by the Child Care and Development Block Grant: 1,746,100
Number of 3- and 4-year-olds not enrolled in preschool (and percent not enrolled): 3,858,488 (50.7%)
Number of poor 3- and 4-year-olds not enrolled in preschool (and percent  
  not enrolled): 760,507 (57.5%)

Education in the United States
Amount spent per pupil in the public schools: $8,044
Percent of fourth graders reading below grade level: 68%
Percent of fourth graders below grade level in math: 61%
 
Youth at Risk in the United States
Percent of 16- to 19-year-olds not enrolled in school and not high school graduates: 7.3%
High school completion rate: 86.3%
Percent of 16- to 19-year-olds unemployed: 17.0%
Number of juveniles arrested: 1,582,068
Number of children and teens in juvenile or adult correctional facilities: 133,609
Ratio of cost per prisoner to cost per public school pupil:  2.8:1
Number of children and teens killed by firearms: 2,825 (1,804 homicides; 846 suicides; 143 accidents; and 32 undetermined)
 
 
 Compiled from the most up-to-date data available as of October 2007

 
Children's Defense Fund
25 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 628-8787 or 1-(800) 233-1200
www.childrensdefense.org