Washington, D.C., was ranked 10th for most at-risk youth in America. It also came in at No. 1 for the highest rates of youth poverty and homelessness.
The capital’s youth homelessness rate is 18 times higher than that of Mississippi, the state with the lowest rate. Oregon, California, Washington, and Alaska also tied with the district for the highest youth homelessness rate, according to a new study from WalletHub.
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The district also has the 12th-highest rate of youth drug users. Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine, Oregon, and Connecticut, respectively, made up the top five highest rates. Texas has the lowest rate, three times lower than that of Vermont.
Despite poor ratings in several other categories, D.C. did manage to snag the second-lowest percentage of youth without a high school diploma. Tied for the highest rate of youth without a diploma are New Mexico and Louisiana.
D.C. further placed seventh for the highest rate of disconnected youth. Alaska took first place, with a rate three times higher than that of Vermont and North Dakota, which tied for the lowest rate. According to the study, “‘Disconnected Youth’ refers to the population aged 18 to 24 who are not attending school, not working and have no degree beyond a high school diploma.”
Asked what state and local policymakers can do to reduce the amount of rural youth that are disconnected from school and work, James Youniss, psychology professor at the Catholic University of America, said: “The key is to connect kids with ongoing organizations that are serving communities. (I am not referring to private school services in which wealthy students travel overseas.) These groups are found in communities across the country — schools, churches, and NPOs of all sorts. For instance, I know of several churches in Prince George’s County, MD, where I live that provide food for Hispanic families. Volunteers are welcome to help. The places are teeming with needy people.”
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“Local leaders should work diligently to provide a range of opportunities for youth during the summer. One option is to provide community-based summer programming that provides youth with a range of social, learning, and leadership experiences,” said professor Michael Krezmien of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
