(The Center Square) — Colorado ranks 12th in the nation for kids’ overall well-being.
This is according to the 36th Kids Count Data Book. That 2025 report was released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It looks at economic well-being, education, health, and family and community to come up with an overall ranking for all 50 states.
Nationally, the state ranked 15th in economic well-being, ninth in education, 24th in health, and ninth in family and community.
While many of the 16 key indicators considered in the survey only changed by a percent or two from the last report, there was a more notable downward shift in the education indicators.
Under the education rating, the survey looked at four metrics: young children not in school, fourth graders not proficient in reading, eighth graders not proficient in math and high schoolers not graduating on time.
In all but the last category, the survey found that Colorado is doing worse than in the past. That said, Colorado’s numbers in those three underperforming categories still ranked better than the national averages.
The full 2025 Kids Count report, which was released by the Colorado Children’s Campaign, dove deeper into the challenges facing Colorado’s youth.
Notably, it found:
• Many more children are homeless now than in prior years, more than doubling from 2023 to 2024.
• More than 130,000 children are living in poverty in Colorado, which is nearly 11% of all children in the state.
• Test scores continue to decline. Even five years after the COVID pandemic, a majority of Colorado students failed to meet academic standards in both English language arts and math.
• Between 2016 and 2023, fewer teens died by suicide but more died by accidental overdoses, motor vehicle accidents and homicide.
Gov. Jared Polis called the findings a “call to action.”
“We are better when we work together to identify challenges and find solutions,” Polis said. “The data and research in Kids Count help us understand what’s working and what’s not working for Colorado kids.”
The findings in the report will be used by state and local governments to determine their priorities going forward.
Heather Tritten, president and CEO of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, said things are uncertain as the political landscape and federal funding shifts.
“The federal government is making or considering changes to a wide range of programs and policies that affect children, including public health coverage, and public education,” Tritten said. “This year, it’s clear we need to advocate for what kids need — and for the data and research that allow us to understand what their needs are.”
Elyse Apel is a reporter for The Center Square covering Colorado and Michigan. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Elyse’s writing has been published in a wide variety of national publications from the Washington Examiner to The American Spectator and The Daily Wire.
