Against the National Tide of Rising Child Poverty, New Mexico Offers a Different Path—Why You Should Know

Child poverty across the United States has risen sharply since the pandemic, from 5% in 2021 to 13% by 2024, with more than 9 million children now living in poverty, the Annie E. Casey Foundation reports. Between 2022 and 2024, federal and state policies lowered child poverty by at least 10 percentage points in 34 states and D.C., and New Mexico posted the largest reduction in the nation, 19 points.

State officials credit expanded tax credits, rebates and anti-poverty investments the state pursued after the federal Child Tax Credit expired. "As child poverty surged across the U.S., New Mexico went the other direction," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a Facebook post. Officials frame the results as evidence that aggressive public intervention can soften economic hardship even as federal support ends.

Advocates tie the national reversal to the expiration of pandemic-era supports, rising living costs and stagnant wages, The 74 reports. Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs at the foundation, told The 74 that poverty is an impediment to development while a young child’s brain is growing rapidly, and Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus, said children up to age 3 have the highest poverty rate of any age group.

Advocates caution that state action and private philanthropy cannot replace federal anti-poverty programs, and many warn that the scale of federal cuts to Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and SNAP could overwhelm local gains.

Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.