By Claudia L. Silva, Santa Fe New Mexican
Sept. 15, 2022
Recent census data shows child poverty decreased in New Mexico amid the coronavirus pandemic as the national rate rose slightly, a trend experts say is due in large part to relief payments and tax policies that helped families weather the pandemic’s effects.
Still, New Mexico ranks last among states in measures of child well-being and has a child poverty rate that remains far above the national average.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, child poverty in state dropped to 23.9 percent in 2021 from 24.9 percent in 2019. Nationally, child poverty increased by a tenth of a point, to 16.9 percent in 2021 from 16.8 percent in 2019.
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