PHOENIX — Arizona climbed two spots in a major national report on child well-being, but the state still ranks near the bottom overall and last in education among the 50 states.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2026 Kids Count ranked Arizona 40th for child well-being.
Arizona’s ranking reflects a strong North-South divide. All lower-ranking states are in the Sunbelt — Mississippi, New Mexico and Louisiana sit at the bottom — while higher-ranked states are concentrated in the North. Utah is the exception, ranking third.
ABC15 Data Analyst Garrett Archer breaks down the numbers and hears from a child welfare advocate in the video player above.
