Data shows that the number of Massachusetts families burdened by housing costs continues to rise.
BOSTON, MA — Massachusetts saw its ranking for overall child well-being slip from 2nd in 2024 to 3rd in 2025. This is according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how kids are faring in post-pandemic America. The data show Massachusetts is becoming increasingly unaffordable for working families, affecting child well-being. MassBudget urges our leaders to focus on affordability, as more must be done to provide economic relief to working families, particularly around housing costs.
“Across 16 indicators, housing costs relative to families’ income is where Massachusetts lags farthest behind,” said Adam Jones, Senior Policy Analyst of MassBudget, Massachusetts’s member of the Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT network. “Year over year, Massachusetts leads the nation in health and education. Compared to other states, the biggest threat to Massachusetts families is not the quality of our public systems, but whether they can afford to live here and benefit from those systems.”
Each year, the Data Book presents national and state data from 16 indicators in four domains — economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors — and ranks the states according to how children are faring overall.
In its 36th year of publication, the KIDS COUNT® Data Book provides reliable statewide numbers to help leaders see where progress is being made, where greater support is needed and which strategies are making a difference.
MassBudget encourages lawmakers and officials in Massachusetts to use this information to unite across party lines and respond with initiatives that invest in young people and make housing more affordable, especially for families. By offering a local road map, the Data Book equips policymakers, advocates and communities with the information they need to make decisions that help kids and young people thrive.
“We know what kids need to grow up healthy and connected so they can thrive as adults: Stable homes, strong schools, nutritious food, meaningful relationships and opportunities to learn, play and grow. When families are able to stay in a place long-term, it strengthens their children and their communities. Policies that facilitate this kind of continuity are essential for a sustainable, thriving Commonwealth.”
###
RELEASE INFORMATION
The 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book will be available at www.aecf.org/databook. Additional information is available at www.aecf.org/databook. Journalists interested in creating maps, graphs and rankings in stories about the Data Book can use the KIDS COUNT Data Center at datacenter.aecf.org.
ABOUT THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION
The Annie E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for the nation’s young people by developing solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic opportunity and transform struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow. For more information, visit www.aecf.org. KIDS COUNT is a registered trademark of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
