40 Foster Children Statistics & Facts: 2024 Data

Discover the truths behind foster care with our comprehensive guide. We delve into the latest statistics, revealing the realities for over 391,000 children in foster care in America.

Based on government data and official studies, our list of 40 official foster children statistics and facts shatters stereotypes and brings clarity.

Learn about foster care dynamics by state, the emotional impact on children, and more essential facts, ensuring you’re well-informed with accurate, up-to-date information.

40 Statistics and Facts About Foster Children

In this section, we’re sharing 40 critical facts about foster children, foster care, and the demographics of those who enter the system. These foster care statistics and facts can help educate you about the system, ensuring you are up to date with the most relevant and accurate information.

How Many Children Are in Foster Care?

Let’s look into how many children are in foster care in the U.S. We’ll explore the numbers to understand the scope of foster care, from infants to teenagers.

1. Total number of children by end of year: As of the last day of the 2021 fiscal year, the foster care system included 391,098 children ⁽¹⁾. This reflects a significant change over time; for instance, at the close of 1998’s fiscal year, the system housed 559,000 children. This marks a notable 30 percent decrease in the foster care population from 1998 to 2021.
2. Total number of children throughout the year: In 2021, 606,031 children passed through the foster care system throughout the fiscal year ⁽²⁾.
3. Total number of infants: Newborns and infants younger than one accounted for 28,690 children in the foster care system ⁽³⁾. That’s about seven percent of the children in foster care.
4. Total number of preschoolers: Preschoolers make up the largest portion of children in foster care, at 34 percent. That’s 133,049 children.
5. Total number of children: Children aged six to 10 make up 22 percent of children in foster care. That’s 87,383 children.
6. Total number of young teenagers: Younger teenagers, those aged 11 to 15, comprise 22 percent of children in foster care, or 86,793 children.
7. Total number of older teenagers: Older teenagers, those aged 16 to 20, make up 14 percent of children in the foster care system. That’s 55,396 children.
8. Total number of children worldwide: It’s challenging to get an official statistic on children in foster care throughout the world. But it’s predicted to be between two and eight million ⁽⁴⁾. This includes children in orphanages, small group homes, and children’s villages.

Foster Care Statistics by State

Foster care statistics vary significantly by state. Let’s explore these differences with key data from each state.

1. California statistics: California has the most children in foster homes, with 47,871 kids ⁽⁵⁾.
2. West Virginia statistics: Although California has the highest number of children in foster care in total, West Virginia has the highest rate of children in foster care. There are 1,710 children per 100,000 residents in foster care.
3. Alaska statistics: Alaska has the second highest rate of children in foster care, with 1,413 per 100,000 residents.
4. New Jersey statistics: New Jersey has the lowest rate of children in foster care, with only 137 children in care per 100,000 residents.
5. Delaware statistics: Delaware has the second lowest rate, with 180 children in foster care per 100,000 residents.
6. South Dakota statistics: South Dakota has quite a high rate of children in foster care, with 683 children per 100,000 residents.
7. Ohio statistics: Ohio sits in the middle, with 538 children per 100,000 residents in foster care.
8. Texas statistics: While Texas has the second highest number of children in foster care (28,042), it has a lower rate of 340 children per 100,000 residents.

Ages and Demographics of Foster Children

If you’re interested in the ages and demographics of children in foster care, we have eight interesting pieces of data to share.

1. Foster care children by gender: There are more boys in foster care than girls. Fifty-one percent of children in foster care are boys, and 49 percent are girls.
2. White children in foster care: White children make up 43 percent of children in foster care.
3. Black and Hispanic children in foster care: Black and Hispanic children both make up 22 percent of children in foster care. It’s worth noting that Black children make up 15 percent of the U.S. population, but they make up a larger percentage of those in the foster care system.
4. The other 13 percent: The remaining 13 percent of children in foster care include Asian children, Native American or Pacific Islander children, or children of unknown descent.
5. Number of children waiting to be adopted: In 2021, over 113,000 children were waiting for adoption ⁽⁶⁾. This decreased from over 133,000 children in 2007. The remaining number of children in the foster care system are working towards reunification with their parents. The success rate as of 2019 for children reunited with parents or primary caretakers was 47 percent.
6. Placement settings of foster children: In 2019, 46 percent of foster children were placed in nonrelative foster family homes ⁽⁷⁾. Thirty-two percent were placed in relative foster family homes. The remaining children were in institutes, on trial home visits, in group homes, in pre-adoptive homes, in supervised independent living, or had run away.
7. Median age: The median age for children in foster care in 2019 was 7.7 years old. The median age of those entering foster care was 6.3 years. The average age is just over eight years old.
8. Ages in 2023: In the third quarter of 2023, it was recorded that 28 percent of children in foster care were aged zero to five ⁽⁸⁾. Twenty-five percent were aged six to 12; 26 percent were aged 13 to 17; 21 percent were aged 18 or older.

Emotional Well-Being in Foster Care

Being in the foster care system can be a healing experience, or it can be a negative experience. It can bring a lot of trauma, anxiety, and even depression. We’re going to look at official statistics on how foster care affects a child’s mental well-being.

1. High percentage of mental health issues: Up to 80 percent of foster care children have serious mental health challenges ⁽⁹⁾. Around 18-22 percent of the general population have serious mental health challenges.
2. Higher number of psychotropic medications: Children in foster care are prescribed psychotropic medications at a higher rate than non-foster children. The rate ranges from 13 to 52 percent for children in foster care compared to four percent of youth in the general population.
3. Mental health disparities: The most common mental health challenges foster care children experience include post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive episodes, and modified social phobias. The rate is 21.5 percent, 15.3 percent, and 11.9 percent respectively. The general adult population experiences these mental health challenges at rates of 4.5 percent, 10.6 percent, and 8.9 percent, respectively.
4. PTSD symptoms: PTSD is one of the most common mental health challenges that a foster child will experience. Symptoms include sleep issues, hyperventilation, nervousness, higher heart rate, worrying thoughts, stomach aches, sweating, and restlessness ⁽¹⁰⁾.
5. Happiness in foster care children: Although a considerable percentage of foster care children experience mental health challenges, most children are happy. More than 90 percent report feeling like they are part of the family they live with ⁽¹¹⁾. Children living with a relative are more likely to be happy than those living in a group facility.
6. Children who experience maltreatment: About eight in every 1,000 children in foster care are victims of maltreatment, abuse, or neglect ⁽¹²⁾.
7. Higher substance abuse risk: Because of maltreatment, children in foster care use drugs and alcohol at higher rates and at a younger age than their peers who haven’t been in foster care ⁽¹³⁾. Twenty-seven percent of children aged 17 had been referred for substance abuse treatment in 2020. The risk also continues as they leave foster care.
8. Group settings are a huge challenge for children: About 60 percent of children in group homes have clinical or behavioral problems.

Facts About Aging Out of Foster Care

Aging out of foster care means that a person has graduated high school or turned 18 while still in the foster care system. They have not been reunited with their families before they grew into an adult and are now responsible for themselves.

What happens to children who age out of foster care? Where do they go? What are they at risk for? Let’s look at eight interesting facts about children who age out of foster care.

1. The number of children aging out: About 23,000 children age out of foster care each year ⁽¹⁴⁾. Many of these instantly lose support.
2. Many become homeless: Twenty percent of children who age out of foster become homeless immediately. Many simply have nowhere to go, while others don’t have the proper skill set, education, or knowledge to care for themselves.
3. Those with steady employment: By age 24, only about 50 percent of children who have left the foster care system have steady and stable jobs ⁽¹⁵⁾. About 33 percent of men and 75 percent of women rely on government assistance programs.
4. Those who earn a college degree: Less than three percent of those aged out of a foster care system earn a college degree later in life ⁽¹⁶⁾.
5. Many women get pregnant early: Seventy percent of women who have aged out of the foster care system will get pregnant before 21.
6. They have problems with health and well-being: About 25 percent of 19-year-olds who have been in foster care have a higher risk of health issues ⁽¹⁷⁾. This includes hospitalization from illness, accidents, drug use, and emotional problems.
7. Lack of health care: Many people who have aged out of foster care have less access to health care. Some states offer Medicaid for youth until age 21, but other states disallow this, meaning youth lose access to important mental and physical health care.
8. Women in the sex industry: Sixty percent of women who have aged out of the foster care system end up in the sex industry. In fact, 60 percent of all sex trafficking victims have been in the child foster system at some point.