With 12.6% of young Americans neither working nor in school, exposing them to greater risk of poverty and violence, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022's States with the Most At-Risk Youth, as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.
To determine where young Americans are not faring as well as others in their age group, especially in a year made extremely stressful by inflation and the continued presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 16 key indicators of youth risk. The data set ranges from the share of disconnected youth to the labor force participation rate among youth to the youth poverty rate.
| States with Most At-Risk Youth | States with Least At-Risk Youth |
| 1. Louisiana | 42. Minnesota |
| 2. Mississippi | 43. Hawaii |
| 3. Alabama | 44. Virginia |
| 4. West Virginia | 45. Vermont |
| 5. Wyoming | 46. Rhode Island |
| 6. Arkansas | 47. Maryland |
| 7. South Carolina | 48. New Jersey |
| 8. Oklahoma | 49. New Hampshire |
| 9. Kentucky | 50. Connecticut |
| 10. District of Columbia | 51. Massachusetts |
Key Stats
- Alaska has the highest share of disconnected youth, 18.00 percent, which is three times higher than in North Dakota and Vermont, the lowest at 6.00 percent.
- New Mexico and Louisiana have the highest share of youth without a high school diploma, 15.60 percent, which is 2.2 times higher than in Hawaii, the lowest at 7.10 percent.
- Alabama has the highest share of overweight or obese youth, 57.30 percent, which is 1.6 times higher than in the Massachusetts, the lowest at 36.90 percent.
- Vermont has the highest share of youth using drugs in the past month, 41.12 percent, which is 2.6 times higher than in Texas, the lowest at 15.71 percent.
- Oregon has the highest share of homeless youth, 0.36 percent, which is 18 times higher than in Mississippi, the lowest at 0.02 percent.
To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/
More from WalletHub
- Best & Worst States for Millennials
- Safest States in America
- Best & Worst States for Teen Drivers
- Best & Worst States to Raise a Family
Expert Commentary
What can state and local policymakers do to reduce the number of rural youths who are disconnected from school and work?
“State and local policymakers need to provide ample opportunities for recreation and healthy outlets for youth in rural areas. This can help youth to remain engaged in positive activities that promote wellness.”
Johanna Slivinske, MSW, LISW-S – Clinical Social Worker, Mental Health and Counseling Services; Part-time Faculty of Social Work, Kent State University
What are the best ways for local authorities to encourage productivity for idle youth while maintaining safety during the current economic crisis?
“Local leaders should work diligently to provide a range of opportunities for youth during the summer. One option is to provide community-based summer programming that provides youth with a range of social, learning, and leadership experiences. For example, providing high school youth with employment as counselors for younger children for part of the day, and providing youth with their own programming during the other part of the day...Additionally, local leaders should identify ways to provide youth with internship opportunities with local businesses, including shops, convenience stores, salons, and agricultural businesses, including local farms.”
Michael Krezmien, Ph.D. – Director, Center for Youth Engagement; Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
“Supervised, structured activities are excellent ways for youth to grow as individuals and gain skills that will help them achieve their goals.”
Johanna Slivinske, MSW, LISW-S – Clinical Social Worker, Mental Health and Counseling Services; Part-time Faculty of Social Work, Kent State University
What tips/advice do you have for parents to support young people who want to stay in school and seek employment?
“Parents can engage in multiple activities to support and encourage their children to complete school and find meaningful employment. First, parents can advocate for their schools to provide innovative and engaging after-school and summer educational programs that provide their children with meaningful experiences beyond those they receive in their typical classes. Second, parents can identify a range of summer programs that focus on learning in multiple domains. These can include art intensive programs, STEM-focused programs, and tech programs. Many of these programs include transportation. Many programs also provide scholarships and assistance for families without the means to send their children to these programs.”
Michael Krezmien, Ph.D. – Director, Center for Youth Engagement; Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
“When students are working and going to school, achieving balance is important.”
Johanna Slivinske, MSW, LISW-S – Clinical Social Worker, Mental Health and Counseling Services; Part-time Faculty of Social Work, Kent State University
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