Twenty-five percent of Vanderburgh County children lived in poverty in 2014, according to the latest Kids Count survey. That’s slightly higher than the national percent.
The survey by the Annie Cassie Foundation says Indiana saw a 63 percent increase in children living in high poverty areas. In Indiana twenty-two percent of children lived in poverty; That’s slightly lower than Kentucky but higher than Illinois.
Indiana kids saw improvement in terms of health and education.
In Vanderburgh County, teen birth rates dropped by 2 percent to 20 percent in 2013, higher than Posey and Gibson counties with 15 percent. Indiana teens who reported abusing alcohol and drugs also decreased.
Indiana now ranks 30th, in the nation, for overall child well-being, higher than Kentucky which ranks 35th and lower than Illinois which is at number 21 on the list.
