WalletHub Study Highlights States with the Most At-Risk Youth in 2025
A recent WalletHub study identifies states with the highest rates of at-risk youth, highlighting significant disparities in education, employment, and health indicators across the U.S.
A new study by WalletHub sheds light on the states with the most at-risk youth in 2025, revealing stark disparities in key indicators such as education, employment, and health. With 13% of young Americans neither working nor in school, the study underscores the heightened risks of poverty and violence facing this demographic. The analysis compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 15 metrics, including the share of disconnected youth, labor force participation rates among youth, and youth poverty rates.
Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico top the list of states with the most at-risk youth, while Iowa, North Carolina, and North Dakota are among those with the least. The study found that Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada have the highest share of disconnected youth, a rate 2.9 times higher than in New Hampshire, the state with the lowest. Additionally, New Mexico leads in the share of youth without a high school diploma, double that of Hawaii, the state with the lowest rate.
Health-related disparities are also evident, with Alabama reporting the highest share of overweight or obese youth, 1.5 times higher than Colorado. Vermont has the highest share of youth using drugs in the past month, 2.5 times higher than Utah. The District of Columbia stands out for having the highest share of homeless youth, a staggering 34 times higher than Mississippi.
This study is crucial for policymakers and community leaders as it highlights the need for targeted interventions to address the challenges facing at-risk youth. The findings can help prioritize resources and strategies to improve outcomes for young Americans across the country. For more details, visit https://www.wallethub.com.