A new report released July 22 by WalletHub examines the prevalence of at-risk youth across the United States, highlighting significant disparities among states. The study finds that 13% of young Americans are neither working nor in school, prompting concerns about the future prospects of this population.
WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia using 15 key indicators, including the share of disconnected youth, labor force participation rates among young adults, and youth poverty rates. According to the report, Louisiana ranks as the state with the most at-risk youth, followed by Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and West Virginia. In contrast, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, and Hawaii are identified as the states with the least at-risk youth.
The study highlights several key statistics: Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada have the highest share of disconnected youth, which is 2.9 times higher than in New Hampshire, the state with the lowest rate. New Mexico has the highest share of youth without a high school diploma, double the rate found in Hawaii. Arkansas leads in the share of overweight or obese youth, while Maine has the highest share of youth using drugs in the past month. Oregon reports the highest share of homeless youth, which is 29.5 times higher than in Mississippi. Full rankings and additional data are available, according to WalletHub.
Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said, “A high share of youth who are not working, not getting education and generally stagnating in life can spell trouble for the future. States that are most impacted by this problem, as well as related issues like high youth poverty rates, widespread drug use and low test scores, need a wake-up call to invest more into improving conditions for young residents. Otherwise, the future economic and social progress of the state is in danger. Louisiana is the state with the most at-risk youth, largely because it has the highest share of people ages 18 to 24 who are not attending school, not working and have no degree beyond high school. This represents 16.6% of young adults in the state. In addition, Louisiana has the seventh-highest share of people ages 18 to 24 without a high school diploma, the second-highest youth poverty rate and the third-highest teen birth rate in the country.”
The report aims to draw attention to the challenges facing young people in certain states and encourages policymakers to invest in programs that support youth education, employment, and well-being.
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