KIDS COUNT – Child Well-Being Data in South Carolina
KIDS COUNT
South Carolina
As the KIDS COUNT leader for South Carolina, a major initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), Children’s Trust uses this high-quality data and trend analysis to secure better futures for all children in our state.
Child Well-Being Data in South Carolina
Indicators reveal significant deficits for children and families in South Carolina, which sends a strong signal that dedicated strategies are needed to give them more opportunities to succeed.
38
South Carolina ranks 38 in child well-being
19%
of children live in poverty
76%
of eighth graders are not proficient in math
Child Well-Being Data and Resources
Child Well-Being Data South Carolina Profile
View the KIDS COUNT rankings and indicators for South Carolina. You can see areas where South Carolina has improved, declined or stayed the same within each indicator.
Child Well-Being Data County Profiles
KIDS COUNT indicators are available at the state level and county level. States and counties are ranked in each domain and overall.
KIDS COUNT Data Book
KIDS COUNT is best known for its annual data book that profiles the status of children on a national and state-by-state basis and ranks states on measures of well-being.
KIDS COUNT Data Center
The KIDS COUNT Data Center is a searchable database featuring hundreds of data sets provided by Children’s Trust and AECF KIDS COUNT.
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National Resources Inform Our Work in South Carolina
These reports, all produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, our national partner for KIDS COUNT, work to raise the visibility of children’s issues through a nonpartisan, evidence-based lens.
Children Living in High-Poverty, Low-Opportunity Neighborhoods
This snapshot singles out two important factors, geographic location and race and ethnicity, that shape a child’s risk of living in concentrated poverty.
Children Living in High-Poverty, Low-Opportunity Neighborhoods ›
A Shared Sentence: The Devastating Toll of Parental Incarceration on Kids, Families and Communities
This report addresses the increased poverty and stress experienced by children of incarcerated parents.
Every Kid Needs a Family: Giving Children in the Child Welfare System the Best Chance for Success
This report highlights the need, through sound policies and proven practices, to find loving, nurturing and supportive families for children in foster care.
Measuring Access to Opportunity in the U.S.
Snapshot illustrates how outdated methods of measuring poverty in the United States are giving an inaccurate picture of how families are really faring and what public programs are working through a discussion of the Supplemental Poverty Measure.
The First Eight Years: Giving Kids a Foundation for Lifetime Success
This publication sounds the alarm that the nation is failing to invest enough in the early years of children.
Stepping Up for Kids: What Government and Communities Should Do to Support Kinship Families
This report explores the increased number of children living with extended family and close friends. It offers recommendations on how to support kinship families.
Stepping Up For Kids Policy Report ›
Opening Doors for Young Parents
This report reminds policymakers and child advocates of the barriers that young families face. It examines national and state-level trends — highlighting areas of opportunity and concern — and then shares potential solutions that can help these families thrive.
KIDS COUNT Stories
South Carolina Ranks 38th in 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book as Children’s Trust Urges Investments that Support Children and Families
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Critical child and family well-being measures show minimal progress for kids in South Carolina,...
Report: SC kids need stronger economy, better education, resilient families
By Mark Richardson About 40% of children in America have had one or more adverse childhood experiences such as...
South Carolina (again) ranks among the worst states for child well-being
By Scott Morgan Children in South Carolina fared worse than the national averages in all but two of 16 measures of...