With 13% 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 2025's States with the Most At-Risk Youth, as well as 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, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 15 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 the Most At-Risk Youth | States with the Least At-Risk Youth |
| 1. Louisiana | 42. Iowa |
| 2. Oklahoma | 43. North Carolina |
| 3. New Mexico | 44. North Dakota |
| 4. South Dakota | 45. Maryland |
| 5. Arkansas | 46. Utah |
| 6. District of Columbia | 47. Nebraska |
| 7. Mississippi | 48. Connecticut |
| 8. West Virginia | 49. Minnesota |
| 9. Nevada | 50. New Hampshire |
| 10. Alaska | 51. New Jersey |
Key Stats
- Louisiana, Mississippi and Nevada have the highest share of disconnected youth, which is 2.9 times higher than in New Hampshire, the lowest.
- New Mexico has the highest share of youth without a high school diploma, which is two times higher than in Hawaii, the lowest.
- Alabama has the highest share of overweight or obese youth, which is 1.5 times higher than in Colorado, the lowest.
- Vermont has the highest share of youth using drugs in the past month, which is 2.5 times higher than in Utah, the lowest.
- The District of Columbia has the highest share of homeless youth, which is 34 times higher than in Mississippi, the lowest.
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/
“A high share of youth who are not working, not getting education and generally stagnating in life can spell trouble for the future. States that are most impacted by this problem, as well as related issues like high youth poverty rates, widespread drug use and low test scores, need a wake-up call to invest more into improving conditions for young residents. Otherwise, the future economic and social progress of the state is in danger.”
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“Louisiana is the state with the most at-risk youth, largely because it has the highest share of people ages 18 to 24 who are not attending school, not working and have no degree beyond high school. This represents 16.6% of young adults in the state. In addition, Louisiana has the fourth-highest share of people ages 18 to 24 without a high school diploma, the second-highest youth poverty rate and the third-highest teen birth rate in the country.”
- Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
Expert Commentary
What are the best opportunities for historically minoritized youth in rural areas to engage in community activities?
“Minoritized rural youth often have difficulty finding activities in their communities that are culturally relevant and of interest. In addition, they might not feel welcomed to join in many activities, especially if they are recent residents of those communities. Community leaders should meet with minority families and empower them to co-develop activities that might be of greater interest to all. This requires a willingness to embrace openness to ideas and an appreciation of the greater richness of activities possible when they are co-developed. Once these activities are developed and offered, then all caregivers need to support and encourage their youth to participate. In essence, enhanced engagement in community activities requires openness, collaboration, and an investment of resources from both majority and minority members.”
Gustavo Carlo – Professor; Director, Cultural Resiliency and Learning Center, University of California, Irvine
“Youth need to engage in skill-building activities that develop their agency and competencies for the transition to adulthood. Programs that are sensitive to cultural norms and that address the inequities and stigma that historically minoritized youth face will be the most successful. Training caring adults in the principles of positive youth development matching youth with adults who share their backgrounds is also suggested. In addition, understanding the barriers that youth face to participation is essential. Youth friendly policies and programs that focus on fostering healthy relationships, helping youth cultivate their skills, strengths, and purpose, can be a powerful source of positive development.”
Jacqueline V Lerner, Ph.D. – Professor, Boston College
What advice can you give parents to help them raise children who will want to stay in school and seek employment?
“In terms of general parenting advice, I would say that parents should demonstrate an authoritative parenting style. They should express warmth, acceptance, and support for their children but also provide clear structure and guidance for their behavior. Those parenting behaviors are linked to many benefits for young people including academic and career success. Parents should also be actively engaged in their children’s lives, but they should not try to solve the problems their children face (i.e., helicopter or snowplow parenting). One way for parents to be active in their children’s lives is to help children develop a sense of purpose in their lives. Purpose is a long-term intention to accomplish aims that are personally meaningful and benefit the greater world. Developing a sense of purpose is linked to a host of positive outcomes including physical health, psychological health, and academic and career success. Some ways parents can help their children to develop a sense of purpose in their lives include discussing their strengths and values with them, connecting them with role models in their areas of interest, sharing what each is grateful for, and just giving them time to reflect on what is meaningful in their lives.”
Edmond P. Bowers, Ph.D. – Professor; Director of Assessment and Engagement, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson University
“From an early age parents can help their children identify and build on their strengths, and work to help them understand the importance of engagement in school. When youth can identify their passions and skills at an early age, they can (with adult help) think about how to use their skills in a future career. This increases the 'school to work' connection, as school is an important setting for skill development and for developing career goals. Adolescence is a key period for parents to stay involved in their child's school activities, monitor their progress, and address any challenges. Fostering youth interests and providing academic support when needed; modeling motivation and hard work; and communicating with the child's school are all practices that parents can use as they prepare youth for the future.”
Jacqueline V Lerner, Ph.D. – Professor, Boston College
What are the best ways for local authorities to encourage productivity for idle youth during the current economic environment?
“Think about what young people want. They want to feel like they fit in somewhere, that they are heard, and that they matter. I’d suggest that local authorities work with appropriate partners such as school systems, social service agencies, or nonprofits to develop service opportunities in which three fundamental needs of youth are met: relatedness, competence, and autonomy. These types of opportunities will help youth build a sense of belonging, a sense of competence, a sense of agency, and ultimately a sense of purpose that will motivate them to engage in the greater community. With the loss of AmeriCorps funding in many states, there is an even greater need and opportunity for young people to support the efforts of social service agencies, afterschool programs, and nonprofits. Prioritizing youth voice and empowerment is key. Youth want to have agency and make a difference in their communities.”
Edmond P. Bowers, Ph.D. – Professor; Director of Assessment and Engagement, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson University
“Community leaders and local authorities should find ways to support youth engagement in activities that promote vocational training, media and financial literacy, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship opportunities, volunteering etc. Youth can gain a sense of purpose and meaning in these activities. Supporting youth to connect with local adults who provide caring mentorship and serve as role models is key.”
Jacqueline V Lerner, Ph.D. – Professor, Boston College
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