Oregon among states with most underprivileged kids, study says

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — All kids deserve a fulfilling childhood with access to good healthcare, education and a roof over their heads. But according to a recent study, children in some states – including Oregon – are less likely to experience those than others.

WalletHub released their 2025 ranking of the States with the Most Underprivileged Children, ranking all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. across key factors of health, education, as well socioeconomic welfare.

Additionally, the study analyzed 25 “indicators of neediness,” which included aspects such as maltreatment, food insecurity and others.

Oregon took 16th place in the rankings overall, also scoring similarly in the factors of socioeconomic welfare (No. 13) and education (No. 16), but ranking better in child health at No. 32.

However, Oregon did tie with Washington D.C. in ranking #1 for child and youth homelessness.

Ultimately, the study says the state with the “most privileged” kids is Connecticut, which also scored the highest in health and education.

The most underprivileged, according to the study, is New Mexico which also ranked at the very bottom in the socioeconomic welfare metric.

“Tackling the problem of underprivileged children in America requires a multifaceted approach,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “On top of lifting children out of poverty and making sure they have access to adequate nutrition and medical care, we also need to look after their mental health, protect them from abuse and ensure they receive quality education. Failing to address even one of these issues can lead to worse outcomes during adulthood.”

WalletHub’s top 10 states with the most/least underprivileged children:

Most	Least
1. New Mexico	42. Delaware
2. Louisiana	43. Massachusetts
3. Alaska	44. Wisconsin
4. Oklahoma	45. Minnesota
5. Mississippi	46. Virginia
6. West Virginia	47. Utah
7. Washington, D.C.	48. Maryland
8. Arkansas	49. New Hampshire
9. Nevada	50. New Jersey
10. Kentucky	51. Connecticut