The 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation on June 24, reveals that while the overall well-being of the nation’s children has improved slightly in the past year, the recession has taken a serious toll on the economic well-being of the nation’s youth. The Data Book contains 16 indicators of child well-being across four domains (economic, education, health, and family and community) for the nation as a whole as well as for each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. These 16 composite scores were then combined into a single child well-being score for each state, which were then ranked. The KIDS COUNT Data Center, an online resource, allows users to further explore the 2013 data through interactive graphs, maps, and rankings at the national, state, and local levels. According to the 2013 KIDS COUNT data, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts currently rank highest for overall child well-being, while New Mexico, Nevada, and Mississippi rank lowest. The 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book reveals a widening gap between children growing up in secure, stable situations and children facing economic, educational, and familial instability and uncertainty. The Data Book finds that America’s youngest children, in particular, are disproportionately affected by the high unemployment and income inequality brought about by the recession. The poverty rate for children under the age of 3 is 26%, for example, which is higher than the national average for all children. The Data Book addresses several measures of childhood well-being that specifically relate to housing. For example, on a national level, 14% of all children live in overcrowded housing and 40% of children live in households that spend more than 30% of their annual income on housing, both of which can have detrimental effects on children’s health, educational attainment, and development. The survey also measures other indicators of housing safety and stability among children at the state and national levels. Though this year’s data reveals that progress has been made in educational achievement, child health and safety, and reducing teen birth rates, the economic consequences of the recession continue to prove detrimental to children and child development. To remedy these persistent problems, the Data Book calls for increased investment in early childhood programs for at-risk children and families so that all young people have a chance to succeed. Access the 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book here: http://bit.ly/14kY4T2Access the interactive KIDS COUNT Data Center here: http://datacenter.kidscount.org/