Child poverty drops to lowest level in over 30 years

Puerto Rico has reached its lowest child poverty rate in more than 30 years, dropping from 58% in 2022 to 52% in 2024, according to the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book.

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico has reached its lowest child poverty rate in more than 30 years, dropping from 58% in 2022 to 52% in 2024, according to the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book.

“Reaching the lowest child poverty rate in over 30 years is good news for Puerto Rico and a clear sign that addressing this challenge is possible,” said Sarah Vázquez Pérez, executive director of the Youth Development Institute (Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud), in a written statement. “We now have the opportunity to sustain this momentum and take it even further.” 

The report, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and presented in Puerto Rico by the Youth Development Institute, states that 248,000 children and young people on the island still live below the poverty line.

Vázquez Pérez maintained that there are concrete solutions to strengthen family economic security, expand access to early education, eliminate barriers to employment, and create real pathways for economic mobility.

Among the findings, the report notes that the median income for families with children in Puerto Rico is $28,542.

That figure is nearly $45,000 lower than that of Mississippi, the jurisdiction with the second-lowest median income among families with children.

Study data also show that 11% of young people aged 16 to 19 in Puerto Rico are neither in school nor employed, placing the island in the second-worst position among U.S. jurisdictions.

Regarding early education, 43% of children ages 3 and 4 are not enrolled in preschool.

Another indicator identified was an increase to 39% in the number of grandparents living with grandchildren under the age of 18 and acting as their primary caregivers -- an increase of 5 percentage points from the previous year. Regarding health, Puerto Rico maintains a low rate of minors without medical coverage, with 98% of children covered by health insurance.

“The data allow us to move from diagnosis to action,” said Enid Rosario Ramos, a research associate at the Youth Development Institute. “They provide the information we need to understand where we stand and monitor progress.”

Rosario Ramos noted that the reduction in child poverty demonstrates that change is possible, but it requires identifying which support systems are reaching families, where gaps persist, and how public policy can respond more effectively.

Among its recommendations, the Institute proposed ensuring access to early childhood development programs and preschool education, expanding after-school opportunities, implementing support models for students and families, creating education-to-employment pathways, and using data to guide public investment.

The Ten-Year Plan established by Law 84 of 2021 outlines goals and strategies to reduce child poverty through policies addressing education, economic security, employment, human capital, health, and food security.

In its 37th edition, the KIDS COUNT Data Book provides data to identify progress, areas requiring additional support, and strategies to improve the well-being of children, youth and families.