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Child Poverty and Adult Success

Urban Institute

Back to Skills

Persistent childhood poverty—living below the federal poverty level for at least half of one’s childhood—is also prevalent, particularly among black children.1 Among all children, 1 in 10 (10.5 percent) is persistently poor. For black children this number is roughly 4 in 10 (38.5 percent), and for white children it’s fewer than 1 in 10 children (4.3 percent).2 Many of these children struggle academically, do not complete high school, and have spotty employment as young adults. But not all poor children have poor young adult outcomes. Two important questions are why some children succeed and what factors seem to help them do so (or at least do not hold them back).

 

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