This updated infographic, part of our 100 Arkansans initiative, illustrates demographic and health statistics for Arkansas children under age 18.
Key Takeaways
The table below includes takeaways from the infographic and shows changes between our 2023 release of this part of the 100 Arkansans project (using data from 2020-2022) and this update (using data from 2023-2026).
| For Every 100 Arkansas Children Under Age 18 | Change From 2023 Release |
|---|---|
| 93 have health coverage. | -1 |
| 24 live in food insecure households. | +4 |
| 15 currently use a vape product. | -7 |
| 40 have overweight or obesity. | +3 |
| 78 had preventive dental visits in the past year. | +4 |
| 76 have appropriate immunizations (ages 0-35 months). | +5 |
| 98 report good, very good, or excellent health. | 0 |
| 21 live in poverty. | -1 |
References
- U.S. Census Bureau. 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates [Data set]. Accessed July 7, 2026. https://data.census.gov/
- Arkansas Department of Education. State profile. ADE Data Center. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://adedata.arkansas.gov/statewide/reportlist/State/StateProfile.aspx
- Arkansas Department of Education. ED trends. ADE Data Center. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://adedata.arkansas.gov/ARK12/edtrends
- Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health. National Survey of Children’s Health, 2023-2024 [Data set]. Accessed July 10, 2026. childhealthdata.org
- U.S. Census Bureau. Small area health insurance estimates, 2023. [Data set]. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/sahie/#/?AGECAT=1
- Feeding America. Food Insecurity among the child population in Arkansas. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2023/child/arkansas
- Arkansas Department of Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. (2025) 2025 Arkansas prevention needs assessment survey: Statewide report. https://arkansas.isadata.com/
- KFF. Vaccination coverage among children age 35 months. Accessed July 10, 2026. kff.org/other/state-indicator/percent-of-children-aged-0-35-months-who-are-immunized/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D
- KFF. Percent of children (ages 3-17) who received any treatment or counseling from a mental health professional. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.kff.org/mental-health/state-indicator/child-access-to-mental-health-care/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D
