Tennessee's ranking on overall child well-being slipped from 36 to 38, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2016 KIDS COUNT® Data Book. The change was largely driven by worsening economic indicators. The KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks child well-being in states across four domains. Tennessee's overall ranking at 38 was compiled from its rankings of 42 on Economic Well-Being, 36 on Education, 28 on Health and 39 on Family and Community. Each domain is made up of four indicators.
Tennessee children continue to struggle financially. The state's worst ranking, 42, was on the Economic Well-Being domain. More than one in four Tennessee children lives in poverty. Approximately one in three children lives in a household that spends more than 30 percent of its income on housing and/or in a household where no parent has full-time, year-round employment.
The state's best domain ranking was on Health (28). The good news is fewer children in Tennessee lack health insurance than did in 2008 and the state ranked 17 on this indicator. However, there are still 78,000 children in Tennessee who are not covered, and as other states expand coverage Tennessee is likely to fall behind on this measure.
