Children in New Mexico are at a significant disadvantage. They are far less likely to experience a safe, secure and healthy childhood compared to their peers in other states, such as New Jersey, Utah and California.
New Mexico is one of five states in America that has a rural child poverty rate at or above 33 percent. That means one in three rural children across the state is growing up in poverty – three times the rate of wealthier states.
New Mexico also has the highest high school dropout rate in the country – one of the factors that contributed to Save the Children recently ranking New Mexico as 47th in the nation where childhood is most threatened.