Foster Care Rankings by State

How each state performs on key foster care outcomes. Data from AFCARS 2022.

Reunification Rate

Highest % of children returning to their families

Top 5

#1 Vermont 59.4% #2 Massachusetts 58.2% #3 Rhode Island 57.8% #4 New Hampshire 57.4% #5 Maine 56.8%

Bottom 5

#47 West Virginia 42.6% #48 Alaska 43.1% #49 Mississippi 44.2% #50 New Mexico 44.6% #51 Arkansas 44.8%

Adoption Rate

Highest % of exits resulting in adoption

Top 5

#1 Idaho 28.6% #2 Kentucky 28.4% #3 Utah 28.2% #4 Alabama 28.1% #5 Indiana 27.8%

Bottom 5

#47 District of Columbia 20.6% #48 California 20.8% #49 Hawaii 21.4% #50 Massachusetts 21.6% #51 New York 21.8%

Aging Out Rate

Lowest % of youth aging out without permanency

Best 5

#1 New York 5.6% #2 Vermont 5.6% #3 Massachusetts 5.8% #4 Rhode Island 5.9% #5 Hawaii 6.1%

Worst 5

#47 West Virginia 9.8% #48 New Mexico 9.8% #49 Mississippi 9.4% #50 Alaska 9.4% #51 Montana 9.2%

Length of Stay

Shortest median months in foster care

Best 5

#1 Utah 15.6 mo #2 Idaho 16.2 mo #3 Arizona 16.8 mo #4 Texas 16.8 mo #5 Iowa 17.3 mo

Worst 5

#47 District of Columbia 26.4 mo #48 New York 23.6 mo #49 New Jersey 22.8 mo #50 West Virginia 22.6 mo #51 New Mexico 22.4 mo

Per Capita Rate

Lowest children in foster care per 1,000 children

Best 5

#1 Utah 2.1 #2 Virginia 3.0 #3 Hawaii 3.3 #4 North Carolina 3.7 #5 Texas 3.8

Worst 5

#47 West Virginia 16.2 #48 Alaska 11.8 #49 South Dakota 11.7 #50 North Dakota 10.1 #51 District of Columbia 9.5

Placement Stability

Highest % with 2 or fewer placement moves

Top 5

#1 Vermont 78.4% #2 New York 77.2% #3 Rhode Island 76.8% #4 Massachusetts 76.4% #5 New Hampshire 76.2%

Bottom 5

#47 West Virginia 64.6% #48 Alaska 65.2% #49 New Mexico 65.8% #50 Mississippi 66.4% #51 South Dakota 67.2%

Source: AFCARS 2022 data (Administration for Children and Families). See how states are graded for methodology.