The challenges facing our community’s children can diminish their chances for successful adult lives. In this section we review several indicators that describe family supports and risk exposure of our youngest residents.

In all cases, comparisons to New York state statistics reflect the entire state excluding New York City.

There are more children living in poverty than in 2000, similar to state and national trends. In 2013-17, about 16% of children in the region were living in poverty, up 3 points since 2000 and lower than the national rate (20%).  Dutchess County continued to have the lowest rate of child poverty in the region (12%), while Sullivan County had the highest percentage of children living in poverty (23%). Poverty was highest among African American (29%) and Hispanic (22%) children in the Mid-Hudson Valley region in 2013-17. White children (14%) were less likely to be living in poverty, though there was a 4 point increase since 2000.

There are more single–parent families in the region, though still below the state and nation. The proportion of single–parent families in the region increased 4 percentage points from 2000, similar to state and national trends. In 2013–17, slightly more than one–quarter (28%) of families in the region were headed by single parents, below the rates for the state (excluding NYC) (32%) and nation (34%). Ulster, Sullivan and Columbia counties had the highest proportion of single–parent families (36%), while Putnam had the lowest (17%). Over half (59%) of African American families in the region were headed by single parents, the highest of any racial or ethnic group. This was below the rates for African American families throughout the state (excluding NYC) (64%) and nation (66%).  In the region, 37% of Hispanic families and 30% of white families were headed by single parents.

Rates of child abuse and neglect have fluctuated but not changed substantially since 2000. In 2017, there were 14 abused children for every 1,000 children in the region, up 4% from 2000 and below the statewide rate of 17. Rates were lowest in Orange (9 per 1,000) and Putnam (7 per 1,000) counties.

Foster care admissions are decreasing, though the regional rate is higher than the state’s. The rate of children admitted to foster care declined to 2.4 children per 1,000 in 2017 from 2.8 in 2000. However, beginning in 2010, rates in the region exceeded statewide rates. Admissions were greatest in Greene County, with 4.7 children per 1,000 admitted to foster care, followed by Ulster (3.3).

The region has seen a decline in the teen pregnancy rate, which is similar to the state. In 2016, the number of pregnancies among females 15-19 was 2.0%, the lowest in the decade. Teen pregnancy was highest in Orange and Sullivan counties at 2.8% and 2.7% respectively, than in Putnam (0.6%), Greene (1.2%) and Dutchess (1.9%).

Live births to teen mothers have also declined since 2000. In 2016, there were 10 live births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 in the region, below the state and nation (12 and 20 respectively). This makes for a 61% decrease since 2000. Sullivan County had the highest rate in the region, with 18 births per 1,000 teen females, followed by Orange and Columbia (each at 14 births per 1,000).

Juvenile delinquency intakes are down drastically since 2000, and the regional rate is lower than the state’s. In 2017, the region had a rate of 30 juvenile delinquency intakes for every 10,000 juveniles, a decrease of 72% since 2000 and lower than the statewide rate (42). Dutchess County had the lowest rate of juvenile delinquency intakes at 4 per 10,000 juveniles, followed by Putnam (15) and Orange (28), while Greene County had the highest rate at 77. 

Reported bullying incidents have declined in the region since 2004,  but the rate is higher than statewide rates. In 2018, there were 9.3 bullying incidents per 1,000 students in the region, higher than the statewide rate (8.1). Rates have decreased for all counties except Orange in the region. Greene had the highest rate in the region at 16 in 2018.