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What This Directory of All States Shows

This directory covers all 51 U.S. states as reported through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). Across the 1 states visible on this page, 678 children are currently recorded as being in foster care. The range on this page runs from Wyoming at 678 children to Wyoming at 678 — a spread that largely tracks state population and the scope of child-welfare reporting rather than a direct measure of system quality. The blended reunification rate across these states sits at 49.4%, with roughly 8.2% of youth aging out of care without a permanent placement — a long-tracked vulnerability indicator that cuts across urban and rural systems alike.

Use the alphabetical index and sort controls to slice this table by children in care, reunification rate, or aging-out rate. States with higher in-care counts are not necessarily underperforming — larger populations, stronger reporting, and more active investigation of maltreatment claims can all drive counts upward. The most meaningful comparisons pair an outcome metric (reunification, adoption, aging out) with a denominator that reflects population-adjusted risk. Each state page shows five-year trends, placement-type mix, demographic breakdowns, and the federal fiscal-year vintage behind the numbers, so you can evaluate change over time rather than a single snapshot.

Source: AFCARS via the U.S. Children's Bureau · Coverage: every state plus DC and Puerto Rico where reported · Interpretation: counts reflect reporting period; use alongside per-capita rates for cross-state comparison AFCARS via the U.S. Children's Bureau · Coverage: every state plus DC and Puerto Rico where reported · Interpretation: counts reflect reporting period; use alongside per-capita rates for cross-state comparison