Child poverty in Virginia has climbed to 12%, affecting more than 230,000 children and reversing previous gains made during the pandemic, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The increase from 9% in 2019-21 to 12% in 2022-24 represents thousands more children facing economic hardship, though the state remains slightly below the national average of 13%. However, experts warn that the situation could be far worse without existing support programs.
“If we took away some of these supportive services like SNAP, WIC, then the poverty rate would actually be 25%. So one in four children,” says Liz Nigro, Director of Research at Voices for Virginia’s Children.
The report uses the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which provides a more comprehensive view than the traditional poverty measure. The SPM accounts for essential expenses such as housing, medical and child care, while adjusting for geographic differences in living costs. For context, the official poverty threshold for a family of four in 2024 is $31,812.
The human cost of child poverty extends beyond immediate financial struggles. Nikita Lambert, a mother who previously experienced poverty while raising her son, describes the lasting psychological effects on children.
“It puts stress on children that they shouldn’t have to carry. On one hand, directly, because that even though they don’t necessarily understand the concept of money, they learn that that is something they need in order to have fun or to have the foods that they like to eat,” Lambert says.
The impact can persist even after a family’s financial situation improves.
Lambert recalls a recent shopping experience: “We were online looking for a toy, and when he saw the price was $20, his eyes fell and he said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry that’s too much money.’ And I had to assure him that it was okay.”
In 2021, child poverty in the U.S. reached a historic low of 5%, thanks to enhanced social supports and the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC). These combined government policies and programs lifted more than 15 million children out of poverty. However, between 2021 and 2024, after those enhanced resources expired, the rate rose back to pre-pandemic levels of 13%.
The increase in child poverty has disproportionately affected communities of color. Nationwide, poverty rates among Black children rose dramatically from 8% to 23%, while Latino children saw an increase from 8% to 21% between 2021 and 2024.
During the pandemic, expanded tax credits and relief programs helped reduce child poverty to historic lows. The recent rise in poverty rates coincides with the expiration of these enhanced supports.
“We have the tools to eliminate child poverty. It’s just a matter of do we have the political will to do it?” Nigro notes.
The report reveals that 61% of children in poverty, or 5.9 million nationwide, live with at least one employed parent, highlighting how even working families can struggle to make ends meet. Rising costs for housing, food, child care, and health care have made it increasingly difficult for families to maintain financial stability, even with assistance.
Lambert emphasizes how quickly circumstances can change: “Almost anyone at most financial or socio-economic states, you’re just anywhere between one and four missed checks from needing this service.”
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation report, child poverty costs the United States up to $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, lower lifetime earnings, and increased spending on healthcare and public programs. Communities with high poverty rates often face additional challenges, including higher healthcare costs and reduced educational resources.
The report demonstrates that public support programs remain crucial in preventing even higher poverty rates, while highlighting the need for sustained political commitment to addressing child poverty in Virginia and nationwide.
For more information about the report “Measuring Access to Opportunity in the United States: A 10-Year Update,” visit www.aecf.org.