Massachusetts Foster Care Data
FY2022 · ACF AFCARS Report · 8,946 children in care
58.2%
Reunification Rate
#2 nationally
21.6%
Adoption Rate
#48 nationally
5.8%
Aging Out Rate
21.4 mo
Median Length of Stay
6.4
Per 1,000 Children
How Massachusetts Compares to the National Average
Massachusetts earned a A grade for FY2022, driven by a 58.2% reunification rate that sits notably 7.7 points above the national average (#2 of 51 states). Its adoption rate of 21.6% is modestly 4.0 points below the national figure.
States Ranked Near Massachusetts
The closest peers to Massachusetts's #2 reunification-rate rank.
Performance Metrics
Placement Types
Child Maltreatment, NCANDS 2022
Source: HHS National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System HHS National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System
88,640
Reports
14,234
Victims
10.2
Per 1,000 children
Massachusetts children returned to a parent or primary caregiver
Children exiting foster care via adoption in Massachusetts
Youth exiting foster care at age 18+ without permanency
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children are in foster care in Massachusetts?
8,946 children as of FY2022 -- a per-capita rate of 6.4 per 1,000 children.
What is Massachusetts's foster care grade?
A A, reflecting a #2-of-51 national rank on reunification (58.2%).
What is the adoption rate in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts adopts out 21.6% of exits -- #48 of 51 nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to other states on aging out?
5.8% of youth age out without permanency -- 1.8 points below the national rate.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainFoster is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.