Receipt of Government Supports Varies Widely by State

Low-income families face very different access to government programs depending on the states in which they live. State choices in implementation of federal policy can encourage or restrict access to government programs that offer important supports to low-income families. At the same time, although 37 percent of U.S. children live in low-income families, the low-income rate varies tremendously across states. For example, the state with the lowest percent of children in low-income families is Maryland at 20 percent. The state with the highest percent is Arkansas at 53 percent