New scoring index shows where policies are improving child well-being and where New Mexico continues to lag behind
PRESS RELEASE
June 08, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ALBUQUERQUE, NM— New Mexico improved slightly in child well-being, moving from the 50th to 49th ranking nationally in the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a 50-state report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation that examines how children and families are faring nationwide.
While the improvement reflects progress in some areas, the data show New Mexico continues to face significant challenges in education and family stability, underscoring the need for continued investments in children and families.
The data, which reflect conditions in 2024, suggest that many child well-being indicators continue to recover from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. New Mexico’s outcomes improved in the Economic Well-Being and Health domains, while Education and Family and Community indicators remained weak.
In addition to the rankings, this year’s data book features new scores that measure overall progress for the state over time across the report’s four domains: Economic Well-Being,
New Mexico saw its largest gains in Economic Well-Being, earning a score of 399, a 135-point improvement since 2019, tied with Delaware for the greatest improvement nationally. Child poverty also continued to decline gradually, reaching 22%, the lowest rate New Mexico has seen in over 16 years.
Although not measured by KIDS COUNT data, one factor contributing to these gains is New Mexico’s Child Tax Credit, which provides up to $622 per child (at the time of collection) and delivered more than $100 million in tax relief to approximately 292,000 families, depending on income. By helping families keep more of their earnings, the credit supports household financial stability and complements broader efforts to reduce child poverty.
Housing affordability, measured by the share of children living in households with a high housing cost burden, showed signs of improvement after worsening in recent years. New Mexico continues to outperform the national average on this indicator, the only one where the state does so, with 27% of children living in households spending more than 30% of income on housing, compared with 31% nationally.
Health indicators also showed modest signs of stabilization. The share of children without health insurance held steady at 6%, even as the national rate increased to match New Mexico’s. The state’s child and teen death rates for 2024 also have improved from the previous year, possibly indicating a reversal in the rising trend over the last several years.
“We moved from 50th to 49th because New Mexico made choices, and choices matter,” said Gabrielle Uballez, Executive Director of New Mexico Voices for Children. “When we put kids and families first, we see progress. But one step forward is not the finish line, and our families deserve more than barely getting by. As a state, we are moving beyond affordability toward economic dignity, where families have the stability to imagine better lives and futures for their children. We know what works. The question is will we continue to have the courage to keep investing in it.”
Despite modest gains, Education continues to weigh heavily on New Mexico’s overall ranking. The state remains 50th in education, with a score of 1, reflecting a 97-point decline since 2019, though New Mexico’s post-pandemic decline has been smaller than many other states. Even before COVID-19, however, the state’s education outcomes lagged significantly behind national outcomes.
New Mexico also continues to struggle in Family and Community, ranking 50th nationally with a score of 260, driven by a nationwide high of 20% of children living in concentrated poverty.
“What stands out in this year’s data is that New Mexico’s strongest gains came in economic well-being, where the state saw one of the largest improvements in the country since 2019,” said Emily Wildau, Director of Policy for New Mexico Voices for Children. “The state’s improvement in economic well-being is significant and suggests our policy investments are helping families, but persistent gaps in education continue to weigh heavily on overall child well-being.”
To schedule follow-up interviews next week, please contact Mikayla Ortega to coordinate.
RELEASE INFORMATION
The 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book is available at www.aecf.org/databook. Jour
ABOUT THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION
The Annie E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for the nation’s young people by developing solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic opportunity and transform struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow. For more information, visit www.aecf.org. KIDS COUNT is a registered trademark of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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New Mexico Voices for Children is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for policies to improve the health and well-being of New Mexico’s children, families and communities.
301 Gold Ave SW Suite 201, Albuquerque, NM 87102; 505-244-9505 (p); www.nmvoices.org